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Buffalo  bringing  their  tides  to  St.  Paul  in  the  early  days 


'The  writer  desires  to  thank  you 
sincerely  for  the  many  kindnesses  and 
favors  extended  to  him  through  past 
seasons,  and  to  offer  this  book  in  the  hope 
that  its  perusal  may  afford  you  some  en 
tertainment,  and  as  an  advertisement 
that  he  will  call  on  you  as  usual  this 
season  with  a  finer,  larger,  and  more 
elaborate  line  of  "Gordon"  furs  than 
ever  before. 

Wishing  you  a  happy  and  pros 
perous  year,  he  begs  to  remain, 

Yours  with  much  esteem, 


February  1st,  1908. 


IN  1838,  or  about  the  time  the  events 
chronicled  in  this  hook  were  brought 
to  a  close,  the  village  of  St.  Paul  was 
founded  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Missis 
sippi,  six  miles  below  its  confluence  with 
the  St.  Peter, — now  the  Minnesota  River, 
— where  Fort  Snelling  was  and  is  still 
located,  and  at  the  highest  point  navigable 
for  steamboats.  The  village  was  estab 
lished  for  the  purpose  of  trading  with  the 
Indians  and  trappers  for  furs. 

The  town  grew  and  prospered.  The 
great  accumulations  of  furs  from  the  West 
and  Southwest  were  brought  by  boat  on 
the  St.  Peter  and  vast  amounts  of  supplies 
were  sent  by  the  same  route  to  the  Indians, 
trappers,  U.  S.  soldiers,  and  the  many 
venturesome  settlers  who  began  a  few 
years  later  to  find  their  way  into  that  wil 
derness. 

From  the  far  North,  via  old  Fort 
Gary  (now  Winnipeg)  and  Pembina,  where 
Selkirk  located  his  colony  two  hundred 
years  before,  the  furs  were  brought  by 
caravans  of  Red  River  carts,  often  one 


hundred  in  a  single  caravan.  These  carts 
were  a  strong,  wide,  two  wheeled  affair 
made  entirely  of  wood,  the  wheels  from 
five  to  seven  feet  in  diameter,  and  were 
drawn  by  oxen.  Thousands  of  bales  of 
rich  and  beautiful  furs  were  brought  to  St. 
Paul  from  the  great  forests  north  and  east 
of  the  village  toward  and  beyond  Lake 
Superior.  Thus,  St.  Paul  practically  be 
came  the  primary  depot  for  all  the  furs  na 
tive  to  the  North  and  West  and  from  here 
they  were  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  world 
by  steamboat  until  the  advent  of  railroads. 
In  the  meantime  St.  Paul  had  grown 
to  be  a  large  jobbing  and  manufacturing 
center,  supplying  the  great  Northwest 
with  most  of  its  merchandise.  Among 
the  many  furs  and  pelts  sent  to  St.  Paul 
in  those  days,  one  of  the  most  useful  as 
well  as  most  plentiful  was  that  of  the  buf 
falo.  Every  year  thousands  upon  thou 
sands  of  Indian  dressed  robes  were  sent  to 
and  shipped  therefrom.  It  was  not  an  un 
common  thing  to  see  the  levees  (steamboat 
landings)  covered  for  acres  with  bales  of 


buffalo  skins  awaiting  shipment,  like  the 
cotton  bales  on  the  levees  at  New  Orleans. 
The  skins  were  used  almost  wholly  for 
sleigh  robes  and  men  s  overcoats. 

In  1871  Mr.  Richards  Gordon,  senior 
member  of  the  firm  of  Gordon  &  Ferguson, 
a  young  firm  engaged  in  the  wholesale 
Hat  and  Cap  business  in  St.  Paul,  con 
ceived  the  idea  of  establishing  a  factory  to 
line  the  robes  and  make  up  the  coats  at 
very  first  hands  and  right  on  their  na 
tive  heath.  They  were  successful  and 
soonothers  followed  them,  and  again  others. 
St.  Paul  made  buffalo  coats  cheaper  and 
better  than  any  other  place.  This  soon 
became  known;  the  business  grew  and  grew. 
All  kinds  of  furs  were  added  and  used, 
and  one  could  buy  anything  from  the  rough 
buffalo  coat  to  the  finest  sealskin  sacque. 

When,  in  1884,  the  buffalo  became 
extinct,  the  trade  found  that  St.  Paul  man 
ufacturers  had  already  put  other  furs  to 
use  and  were  making  finer  and  better  coats 
and  garments  than  ever.  Now,  the  coun 
try  looks  to  St.  Paul  principally  for  its 


supply.  That  is  why  St.  Paul  manufac 
turers  can  dare  to  buy  materials  and  can 
build  garments  in  so  mucb  vaster  quanti 
ties,  and  better  and  cheaper  today  than 
anywhere  else.  Gordon  &  Ferguson  are 
still  the  leaders  in  the  business. 

As  the  center  of  the  men  s-fur  trade 
became  absolutely  settled  here,  Gordon  & 
Ferguson  developed  the  manufacture  of 
ladies  furs  of  all  kinds  in  equal  propor 
tions.  Now  they  use  not  only  the  finest 
native  skins,  but  skins  of  every  kind  from 
all  over  the  world. 

When  the  recent  great  demand  for 
automobile-fur-garments  appeared,  Gordon 
&  Ferguson  were  almost  the  only  manu 
facturers  in  the  United  States  with  a  variety 
of  furs  and  enough  of  every  variety  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  people  in  that  direction. 

Every  item  of  their  fur  business  is 
under  the  immediate  supervision  and  care 
of  Mr.  C.  L.  Kluckhohn,  the  secretary  of 
the  company,  who  began  with  them  a 
young  boy,  thirty-five  years  ago. 

H.  E.  WHALEY. 


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v 


ZEbe  fmtcfeerbocfeer  ^literature 
Series 


EDITED  BY  FRANK  LINCOLN  OLMSTED 


THE   FIRST  ISSUES    ARH  : 

I. — EPISODES  FROM  THE  WINNING  OF  THE  WEST. 
By  Theodore  ROOSEVELT. 

II. — ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  :  His  BOYHOOD  AND 
EARLY  MANHOOD,  WITH  A  BRIEF  ACCOUNT 
OF  HIS  LATER  LIFE.  By  Noah  Brooks. 

III. — THE  FUR  TRADERS  OF  THE  COLUMBIA 
RIVER  AND  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS  AS 
DESCRIBED  BY  WASHINGTON  IRVING  IN  HIS 
ACCOUNT  OF  "ASTORIA"  AND  THE  RECORD 
OF  THE  "  ADVENTURES  OF  CAPTAIN  BON- 
NEVILLE." 

IV. — THE  LAST  OF  THE  MOHICANS.  By  James 
Fenimore  Cooper. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 

NEW    YORK    AND    LONDON 


The  Fur  Traders 

Of  the  Columbia  River  and 
the  Rocky  Mountains 


As  Described  by 

Washington  Irving 

In  his  Account  of  "Astoria,"   and  the  Record  of 
"The  Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville  " 

With  Some  Additions  by  the  Editor 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 
New  York  and  London 


1903 


r 


COPYRIGHT,  1003 

BY 
G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


Published,  May,  1903 


ttbe  •Rnicftetbochet 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE 

IRVING'S  narratives  depicting  the  facts  and  the 

1     romances  of  trapper  life,  and  relating  the  efforts  of 

organised  fur  trading  in  the  Far  West,  present,  in  their 

particular  field,  the  most  interesting  account  yet  pro- 

'   duced  of  those  fascinating  phases  of  pioneer  life.    Irving 

infused  the  tragedy  of  Astoria  with  the  patriotic  interest 

-    that  belonged  to  it,  and  that  lifted  it  far  above  the  level 

*?  of  mere  commercial  failure.     In  the  Adventures  of  Cap- 

.^   tain  Bonneville  he  drew  a  general  picture  of  the  mount- 

S    ain  trading  at  the  height  of  its  greatest  revival;  and 

""I  with  the  skill  of  an  artist  he  fixed  indelibly  for  the  mind 

==    many  interesting  scenes  that  were  destined  soon  to 

an    vanish. 

Irving  drew  the  materials  for  these  two  stories  from 
\   a  wide  acquaintance  with  the  prime  movers  in  the  great 
g   undertakings  he  described,  and  from  much  personal 
and  private  information  that  is  no  longer  available.     In 
fact,  his  interest  in  the  fur  traders  amounted  to  a  pas 
sion  that  kept  him  in  touch  with  the  whole  movement 
of  affairs  on  the  frontier. 

In  spite,  however,  of  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
men  and  their  deeds,  Irving  admitted  that  it  was  "diffi 
cult  to  do  justice  to  the  courage  and  perseverance  of 
the  pioneers  of  the  fur  trade,  who  first  broke  their  way 
through  a  wilderness  where  everything  was  calculated 
to  deter  and  dismay  them,  who  traversed  the  most  desol 
ate  mountains  and  launched  themselves  in  frail  canoes 
without  knowing  whither  the  swift  current  would  carry 


2KN<ni<t  f\ 
X*-l  ^S/Jt 
a  +J*J~X.\ 


iv  Editor's  Preface 

them,  nor  what  rocks  and  rapids  they  might  encounter 
in  their  course.  The  mountain  tribes,  too,  beset  their 
path,  or  attacked  them  in  their  night  encampments; 
so  that  of  the  bands  of  hardy  trappers  that  first  entered 
those  regions,  three  fifths  are  said  to  have  fallen  by  the 
hands  of  savage  foes. ' ' 

That  the  record  of  such  men  and  of  such  deeds  be 
came  interesting  and  readable  under  the  pen  of  Irving 
is  a  fact  creditable  to  that  writer  and  fortunate  for  the 
student;  and  it  should  have  given  no  offence  to  the 
ponderous  historian  who  staked  out  trans-Mississippi 
as  his  particular  "  claim."  So  it  is  now  recorded  with 
particular  satisfaction  that  a  recent  examination,  by  a 
competent  authority,1  has  established  beyond  question 
Irving' s  accuracy  and  sound  judgment. 

The  nature  of  the  present  volume  has  prevented 
anything  more  than  a  reference  to  the  other  daring 
enterprises  in  the  regions  that  are  the  wonderland  of 
the  world,  and  are  still  the  borderland  of  romance.  In 
order,  however,  that  the  reader  may  get  a  suggestion 
of  the  activities  growing  out  of  the  rich  rewards  of 
the  fur  trade,  he  is  provided  with  a  table  of  Important 
Events,  which  has  been  greatly  enriched  by  names  and 
dates  drawn  from  the  recent  researches  of  Captain 
Chittenden,  whose  extensive  and  original  investigations 
have  resulted  in  a  well-rounded  and  accurate  history 
of  the  fur  trade  of  the  Far  West.  The  editor's  thanks 
are  gladly  paid  him  for  these  helps  and  for  the  many 
illuminating  side-lights  on  the  text. 

F.  I,.  O. 

PINE  LODGE,  1903. 

1  The  American  Fur  Trade  of  the  Far  West,  by  Hiram 
Martin  Chittenden,  Captain  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  pp. 
239-246  and  432-433- 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

IMPORTANT  EVENTS ix 

I. — THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY  i 

II. — THE  AMERICAN  FUR  COMPANY   ....  8 

III. — OUTWARD  BOUND 15 

IV. — ASTORIA 21 

V. — THE  Loss  OF  THE  "TONQUIN"    ....  26 

VI. — UP  THE  MISSOURI 35 

VII.— THE  TETONS 53 

VIII. — CAI.DRON  LINN 62 

IX.— THE  INDIANS  OF  WISH-RAM       ....  71 

X. — LOVE  AND  WAR 84 

XL— TREACHERY  OR  VAI.OUR? 91 

XIL— READJUSTMENT  AND  GROWTH    ....  99 

xni. —PIERRE'S  HOI.E 106 

xiv.— THE  NEZ  PERCES 119 

XV.— THE  RENDEZVOUS  1833 131 

XVI.— THE  CROW  COUNTRY 141 

XVII.— THE  WIND  RIVER  MOUNTAINS   ....  149 

XVIII.  —  DOWN  THE  COLUMBIA 161 

XIX.— SHE- WEE-SHE      . 175 

XX.— A  VOYAGE  IN  A  BUW^BOAT 188 

XXI.— FAREWEW,  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS  .       .       .        .197 

XXII. —THE  LAST  OF  THE  COMPANIES     ....  208 

INDEX 219 

v 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

A  BANQUET  IN  THE  WILDERNESS       .       .     Frontispiece 
From  a  drawing  by  F.  S.  Church. 

ASTORIA  IN  1811 24 

Based  on  a  print  in  Gray's  "  History  of  Oregon." 

AN  INDIAN  AGENCY  ON  THE  MISSOURI  RIVER  ...      54 
From  an  old  engraving. 

CASCADES  OF  THE  COLUMBIA  RIVER 76 

From  a  photograph. 

HEROISM  OF  A  WOMAN  OF  THE  NEZ  PERCES    .        .       .112 
Engraved  from  a  drawing  by  F.  S.  Church. 

THE  PUNCH  BOWL       . 138 

THE  CRATER  OF  THE  GROTTO  GEYSER     .       .       .       .164 

MULTNOMAH  FALLS 190 

From  a  photograph. 

FORT  UNION,  A  TRADING  POST  ON  THE  MISSOURI    .        .    212 
Redrawn  from  a  sketch  made  during  a  Government 
Survey  of  the  Pacific  Railroad. 


vii 


IMPORTANT  EVENTS 

1670 — THE  HUDSON  BAY  COMPANY  is  chartered  by  Charles  II. 
for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  skins  and  furs  from  the 
Indians  of  British  North  America. 

1762 — France  loses  possession  of  Canada. 

Overland  trade  with  Santa  F6  began  somewhat  before 
this  date. 

I7^>3— -John  Jacob  As  for  is  born  in  Walldorf,  Germany. 

1764 — MAXENT,  LACI,EDE,  AND  COMPANY,  of  New  Orleans, 
establish  a  trading-post  and  village  which  they  name 
St.  Louis,  having  been  granted  by  Louis  XV.  a  monopoly 
of  the  trade  on  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  rivers. 

1783— -J.  J.  Astor  sails  for  Baltimore;  begins  his  career  as  a 
fur  merchant. 

1787 — THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY  is  formed  at  Montreal  by 
successful  Scotch  merchants  who  have  been  independ 
ent  dealers  in  furs.  Alexander  Mackenzie,  a  partner, 
begins  explorations  which  bring  him  to  the  Pacific  in 
J793-  The  company  employs  David  Thompson  to 
survey  the  49th  parallel  (the  international  boundary 
later),  and  to  locate  trading-posts. 

1792 — The  Columbia  River  is  discovered  by  Captain  Gray  in  the 
ship  Columbia. 

1798 — THE  RUSSIAN-AMERICAN  FUR  COMPANY  is  organised  for 
trade  along  the  north-west  coast  of  North  America.  It 
selects  Sitka  for  its  port  of  deposit  and  trade. 

1803 — THE  PURCHASE  OF  LOUISIANA  from  France.     The  terri 
tory  comprised  nearly  the  entire    region    from    the 
Mississippi  to  the  crest  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
from  Texas  to  Canada, 
ix 


x  Important  Events 

1804-6 — THE  LEWIS  AND  CI.ARK  EXPEDITION  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia  River  and  return,  opening  up  the  great 
fur-producing  region  of  the  country. 

1804-10— -John  Coulter,  having  accompanied  Lewis  and  Clark, 
returns  to  the  mountains  to  trap.  Meets  Lisa, 
"Coulter's  Route  in  1807."  Discovers  the  Yellow 
stone  Wonderland;  escapes  from  the  Blackfeet;  returns 
to  St.  Louis  in  1810,  alone  in  a  canoe,  3000  miles  in  30 
days. 

1806-7 — PIKE'S  EXPIRATIONS  through  Kansas  and  Colorado, 
and  southward  to  Santa  Fe".  Pike's  Peak.  Baptiste 
Le  Lande.  James  Purcell.  Spanish  expedition, 
under  Malgares  far  into  the  territory  of  the  United 
States. 

1807 — Manuel  Lisa  ascends  the  Missouri  and  Yellowstone, 
building  his  post,  Fort  Lisa,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Big  Horn;  repeats  the  trip  almost  yearly  until  1820. 
A  small  detachment  of  troops  is  sent  to  conduct  to  his 
home  the  Mandan  chief  who  was  brought  down  the 
river  by  Lewis  and  Clark.  The  soldiers  are  beaten 
back  by  the  Aricaras  and  are  forced  to  return. 

1808— THE  MISSOURI  FUR  COMPANY  is  begun  by  Auguste 
Chouteau,  Jr.,  Pierre  Chouteau,  Sr.,  William  Clark 
(Lewis  and  Clark),  Andrew  Henry,  and  others.  Its 
history  is  that  of  its  moving  spirit,  Manuel  Lisa.  Its 
first  expedition,  in  1809,  is  an  unusually  strong  one 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  many  posts,  and  to 
restore  to  his  people  the  Mandan  chief  mentioned 
above. 

The  company  is  reorganised  in  1812  and  again  in  1819. 

THE  AMERICAN  FUR  COMPANY  is  incorporated  by  John 
Jacob  Astorto  comprise  all  his  operations  in  different 
parts  of  the  country. 

1810— The  Blackfeet  Indians  make  repeated  attacks  on  the  post 
of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company  at  the  Three  Forks  of 
the  Missouri,  driving  Andrew  Henry  thence  over  the 
Divide  to  the  north  branch  of  the  Snake  River.  He 
returns  to  St.  Louis  the  next  year  (1811). 


Important  Events  xi 

THE  PACIFIC  FUR  COMPANY  (i.e.,  The  American  Fur 
Company)  is  organised,  being  recruited  largely  from 
the  Northwest  Company,  which  refuses  Mr.  Astor's 
offer  of  an  alliance. 

The  Sea  Expedition  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  sets 
sail  September  6th,  in  the  ship  Tonquin,  and  reaches 
the  Columbia  River,  March  25,  1811.  After  ASTORIA 
is  established,  the  Tonquin  is  sent  on  a  trading  voyage 
to  the  northward.  In  Nootka  Sound,  Vancouver 
Island,  the  ship  is  attached  by  treacherous  Indians, 
and  is  destroyed  together  with  all  on  board. 

The  Overland  Expedition  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company, 
under  the  command  of  Wilson  P.  Hunt,  starts  from 
St.  Louis,  October  21,  1810;  winters  near  the  present 
St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and  sets  out  again  April  21, 
1811.  They  race  to  keep  ahead  of  Lisa;  procure  horses 
of  the  Aricaras  and  proceed  by  land;  reach  Henry's 
abandoned  fort,  October  nth.  Losses  and  disasters  in 
descending  the  Snake  River;  separation  into  numerous 
small  parties,  most  of  which  reach  Astoria  by  the  I5th 
of  February,  1812. 

1811 — Mr.  As  for  and  certain  partners  in  the  Northwest  Com 
pany  buy  out  the  Mackinaw  Company  (another  British 
company  operating  around  the  Great  Lakes  and  the 
sources  of  the  Mississippi  River)  and  form  it  into  the 
SOUTHWEST  COMPANY. 

A  conflict  is  precipitated  in  the  rivalry  between  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  and  the  Northwest  Company 
by  the  former  granting  the  Red  River  Valley  (near 
Lake  Winnipeg)  to  Lord  Selkirk. 

1812 — The  annual  ship,  the  Beaver,  reaches  ASTORIA,  May 
roth.  Reed  visits  the  caches;  Robert  Stuart  starts 
overland  to  carry  reports  to  New  York;  and  Hunt  sails 
for  New  Archangel  to  carry  out  the  arrangement  with 
the  Russian  Fur  Company. 

1813 — The  partners  at  Astoria  learn  of  the  DECLARATION  OF 
WAR  against  Great  Britain,  and  on  July  ist  they  pub 
licly  announce  their  intention  to  abandon  the  enter 
prise.  Hunt  is  delayed;  the  annual  ship,  the  Lark,  is 


xii  Important  Events 

wrecked;  sale  of  all  the  property  of  the  Pacific  Fur 
Company  to  the  Northwest  Company,  October  236; 
arrival  of  the  British  frigate,  Raccoon,  October  3Oth. 

1814 — April  36,  Hunt  sails  for  New  York  with  the  remnant 
of  the  Astorians  who  did  not  enter  the  employment  of 
the  Northwest  Company. 

1816 — Congress  excludes  foreigners  from  participation  in  the 
fur  trade  of  the  United  States,  except  in  subordinate 
capacities.  Mr.  Astor  takes  over  the  business  of  the 
Northwest  Company  lying  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  United  States,  and  merges  that  and  his  own  South 
west  Company  in  the  American  Fur  Company;  but 
fails  to  get  the  necessary  military  support  for  re- 
occupying  Astoria  and  the  Columbia  Valley. 

1818 — By  treaty  with  Great  Britain,  the  country  on  the  north 
west  coast  of  America,  westward  of  the  Rocky  Mount 
ains,  claimed  by  either  country,  is  to  be  opened  for  ten 
years  for  the  purposes  of  trade  to  the  inhabitants  of 
both  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  with  equal 
right  of  navigating  all  its  rivers.  This  arrangement 
is  renewed  without  change  in  1828. 

1819-20 — Long's  Expedition  (a  thousand  men  and  five  steam 
boats)  starts  for  the  Yellowstone  to  clear  the  Upper 
Missouri  from  British  traders  and  to  free  the  Indians 
from  foreign  influence.  It  proves  a  complete  failure, 
reaching  only  the  present  site  of  Omaha  and  returning 
from  there  the  following  spring,  when  Congress  refuses 
a  further  appropriation. 

1820— Death  of  Manuel  Lisa  just  at  the  beginning  of  the 
revival  in  the  fur  trade.  Joshua  Pilcher  succeeds  him 
as  the  head  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company. 

1821 — Absorption  of  the  Northwest  Company  by  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company.  They  abandon  Astoria  and  build  Fort 
Vancouver,  a  hundred  miles  farther  up  the  Columbia, 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Willamette  River. 
Parliament  excludes  Americans  from  the  Canadian  fur 
trade. 


Important  Events  xiii 

The  American  Fur  Company  withdraws  from  its  territory 
east  of  Lake  Huron. 

THE  COLUMBIA  FUR  COMPANY  is  formed  by  James  Ren- 
ville  and  other  experienced  men,  who  were  displaced 
by  the  consolidation  of  the  Northwest  Company  with 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company.  It  competes  actively  with 
the  American  Fur  Company  in  the  upper  valleys  of  the 
Mississippi  and  Missouri. 

1822 — William  H.  Ashley  sends  his  first  expedition  up  the 
Missouri  under  the  command  of  Andrew  Henry. 
Severe  losses  of  goods,  horses,  and  men.  The  first  use 
of  South  Pass. 

The  American  Fur  Company  establishes  its  Western 
Department  at  St.  Louis,  in  the  hands  of  Stone,  Bost- 
wick,  and  Company;  but  changes  it  in  1827  to  Bernard 
Pratte  and  Company. 

1823 — Ashley,  having  accompanied  Henry  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellowstone,  returns  and  organises  another  party, 
which  is  badly  defeated  by  the  Aricaras,  with  the  loss 
of  fourteen  men.  Colonel  Leavenworth  leads  a  re 
taliatory  expedition  against  the  Aricaras,  but  accom 
plishes  nothing. 

Pilcher  sends  out  a  large  trading  party,  which  is  am 
bushed  by  the  Blackfeet,  five  killed  (Jones  and  Im- 
mel),  and  four  wounded.  Owing  to  the  heavy  money 
loss  on  this  expedition  and  later  ones,  the  Missouri 
Fur  Company  becomes  extinct  about  1830. 

iS24—£tienne  Provost,  having  charge  of  one  of  Ashley's  par 
ties,  is  treacherously  attacked  on  the  shores  of  Utah 
Lake,  and  loses  nearly  all  his  men. 
Ashley  devises  the  rendezvous  to  take  the  place  of  the 
post  system  of  trade. 

1824-1843 — Years  of  the  greatest  activity  in  the  Santa  F6  trade, 

which  is  carried  on  entirely  by  individual  traders. 

Government  survey  of  the  Santa  Fe"  Trail  in  1825. 

The  trade  is  prohibited  in  1843. 
1824-25 — Ashley  sends  Henry  (October)  to  the  mountains,  and 

follows  (November)  with  another  party,  ascending  the 


xiv  Important  Events 

Platte ;  winters  on  the  Green  River,  where  Provost 
finds  him.  He  explores  to  the  west  and  south  of  the 
Great  Salt  Lake ;  secures  a  wonderfully  rich  cargo 
of  furs,  which  he  embarks  for  St.  Louis  via  the  Yellow 
stone  and  Missouri  rivers,  utilising  the  troops  of  the 
Yellowstone  Expedition  as  an  escort  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Yellowstone.  The  rendezvous  for  1825  is  held 
in  the  Green  River  Valley. 

1825 — Yellowstone  Expedition  is  authorised  by  Congress  for 
the  purpose  of  making  treaties  with  the  Indians  along 
the  Missouri,  who  had  been  restless  and  troublesome 
since  1812.  General  Henry  Atkinson  and  Major 
CPFallon  are  successful  in  their  negotiations. 

1826— Ashley  makes  his  last  trip  to  the  mountains,  taking  with 
him  a  wheeled  cannon  (first  vehicle)  to  his  post  on 
Utah  Lake.  He  sells  out  his  fur  business  to  Smith, 
Jackson,  and  Sublelte,  who  had  been  active  partisans. 

1826-29 — Smith  starts  from  the  rendezvous  in  Cache  Valley  ;  ex 
plores  the  Colorado  River ;  and  crosses  the  deserts  to 
San  Diego,  Cal.  He  returns  nearly  alone  to  the  ren 
dezvous  for  1827  at  Great  Salt  Lake ;  then  recrosses  to 
California,  losing  ten  men  at  the  hands  of  the  Mojave 
Indians,  who  are  incited  by  the  Spanish  authorities ; 
forfeits  all  his  property  and  is  released  from  arrest  on 
condition  of  leaving  the  country ;  gathers  his  men  and 
slowly  ascends  the  Sacramento  (winter  1827-28) ;  is 
attacked  by  Indians  in  July,  1828,  and  escapes  alone, 
making  his  way  to  Fort  Vancouver,  on  the  Columbia ; 
recovers  his  furs  with  the  aid  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Com 
pany,  and  returns  to  his  partners  in  the  spring  of 
1829,  after  a  severe  fight  with  the  Blackfeet  Indians. 

1827 — The  Columbia  Fur  Company  is  transferred  to  the  Ameri 
can  Fur  Company,  retaining  its  organisation  ;  there 
after  known  as  the  UPPER  MISSOURI  OUTFIT,  the 
"U.  M.  O." 

1828 — Fort  Floyd  (afterward  called  Union)  is  built  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Yellowstone. 

i83o--Sublette  reinforces  his  partners  at  the  rendezvous  on  the 


Important  Events  xv 

Wind  River  with  a  force  of  eighty-one  men  and  ten 
waggons  (the  first  used  on  the  Oregon  Trail).  The  part 
ners  sell  out  to  Fitzpatrick,  M,  G.  Sublette,  Fraeb, 
Gervais,  and  Bridger, — the  ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  FUR 
COMPANY. 

1831 — Smith,  Jackson,  and  Sublette  enter  the  Santa  Fe"  trade, 
sending  out  twenty  waggons.  Smith  is  killed  by  the 
Comanches  in  the  Cimarron  Desert.  Fitzpatrick  takes 
this  roundabout  way  to  bring  out  supplies,  and  is  so 
delayed  by  the  trouble  in  which  Smith  perishes  that 
he  arrives  too  late  for  the  rendezvous. 

1832 — The  famous  rendezvous  at  Pierre's  Hole,  July  Sth-iyth. 
Present  two  hundred  trappers  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Fur  Company,  a  large  party  of  the  American  Fur 
Company ',  N.  J.  Wyeth,  with  his  New  Englanders, 
and  many  Indians  and  free  trappers.  Captain  Bonne 
ville  is  approaching.  Competition  is  keen  and  threat 
ens  to  be  ruinous. 

The  Battle  of  Pierre's  Hole  (Teton  Basin),  July  i8th. 
A  detachment  returning  from  Wyeth' s  party  is  attacked 

by  Blackfeet,  July  25th. 

Voyage  of  the  steamer  Yellowstone  from  St.  Louis  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Yellowstone  and  return,  April  i6th-July 
7th.  George  Catlin. 

Congress  forbids  the  importation  of  liquor  into  the 
Indian  country.  M'Kenzie  orders  a  complete  still  for 
use  at  Fort  Union. 

1832-35— Four  Nez  Perce"  Indians  visit  St.  Louis  in  the  fall 
to  get  instruction  in  the  Christian  religion.  The 
Methodists  send  Jason  and  Daniel  Lee  (1834)  under 
the  protection  of  WyeWs  party.  In  1835  Marcus  Whit 
man  and  Samuel  Parker  go  as  missionaries. 

1832-35 — Captain  Bonneville  reaches  the  Green  River  July 
27th;  builds  Fort  Bonneville;  but  winters  on  the 
Salmon  River.  Meets  Wyeth  (1833) ;  Green  River  ren 
dezvous;  sends  out  the  Walker  Expedition  (July  24, 
1833— June  i,  1834) ;  despatches  Cerre  to  St.  Louis 
with  furs ;  winters  on  the  Portneuf  River.  Makes  a 
personal  trip  down  the  Columbia  (Christmas,  i833~May 


xvi  Important  Events 

12,  1834) ;  rendezvous  in  the  Bear  River  Valley  (1834) ; 
despatches  Walker  and  Cerre  with  the  year's  furs ; 
winters  on  the  Bear  River.  Again  visits  the  Columbia 
(1835);  meets  his  men  at  the  Forks  of  the  Wind  River ; 
and  returns  to  the  settlements,  August  22,  1835. 

1832-36 — N.J.  Wyeth  forms  a  company  for  trading  in  the  val 
ley  of  the  Columbia ;  starts  from  Boston  with  twenty 
men  ;  present  at  battle  of  Pierre's  Hole  ;  reaches  Fort 
Walla  Walla,  October  I4th.  Mountain  journey  (1833) ; 
meets  Bonneville ;  bull-boat  trip.  Brings  out  merchan 
dise  (1834)  for  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company ; 
builds  Fort  Hall  and  Fort  William.  Explorations  (1835). 
Returns  to  Cambridge  in  1836. 

1833 — Rendezvous  at  the  head  of  the  Green  River  (June  isth- 
24th).  The  contract  with  Wyeth.  Fitzpatrick  is  robbed 
of  all  his  goods  and  horses  (100)  by  the  Crows. 

The  Battle  of  Fort  M'Kenzie,  seven  killed,  twenty 
wounded.  Maximilian,  Prince  of  Wied,  ascends  the 
Missouri  and  winters  at  Fort  Clark. 

Wyeth  reports  illicit  distilling  at  Fort  Union. 

1834 — The  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  is  dissolved  at  the 
rendezvous  on  the  Green  River,  having  repudiated  its 
contract  with  Wyeth. 

Mr.  Astor  sells  the  American  Fur  Company  (Northern 
Department)  to  Ramsay  Crooks,  and  the  Western  De 
partment  to  Pratte,  Chouteau,  and  Company. 

M'Kenzie  retires  from  Fort  Union  in  consequence  of  the 
distillery  episode. 

Colonel  Dodge  conducts  a  military  expedition  from  Fort 
Gibson  to  reduce  the  Indians  along  the  Santa  Fe"  route. 

1836-40— -J.  N.  Nicollet  carries  on  valuable  and  accurate  ex 
plorations  in  the  valleys  of  the  Mississippi  and  Mis 
souri  rivers;  is  accompanied  by  John  C.  Fremont. 

1837 — Smallpox  is  introduced  all  along  the  Missouri  by  the 
steamboat  of  the  American  Fur  Company ;  and  it  almost 
destroys  the  Mandans  and  many  other  tribes,  and  has 
a  disastrous  effect  upon  the  fur  traders. 

1838 — Father  De  Smet  begins  his  work  among  the  Indians. 


Important  Events  xvii 

PIERRE  CHOUTEAU,  JR.,  AND  COMPANY  succeed  the  firm 
of  Pratte,  Chouteau,  and  Company. 

1842 — Fremont's  first  expedition  to  the  Rocky  Mountains ; 
he  examines  South  Pass  and  the  Wind  River  Mount 
ains.  Fremont's  Peak  (13,570  feet). 

1842-43 —  Whitman  makes  his  romantic  return  to  the  States  in 
the  dead  of  winter  via  Santa  Fe". 

1843— James  Bridger  builds  Fort  Bridger  for  the  accommoda 
tion  of  immigrants. 
The  naturalist,  Audubon,  ascends  the  Missouri  in  the 

annual  steamer,  Omega,  of  the  "U.  M.  O." 
The  Blackfoot  Massacre  at  Fort  M'Kenzie,  planned  by 
Harvey  and  Chardon. 

1843-44 — Fremont  explores  the  region  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake, 
descends  the  Columbia,  and  returns  by  the  way  of 
California  to  Kansas. 

1845 — Harvey,  Primeau,  and  Company,  former  employees  of 
the  American  Fur  Company,  carry  on  an  effective 
opposition  to  the  older  company. 

1846 — Fremont  frees  Northern  California  from  Mexican  rule 
(Mexican  War)  and  is  elected  Governor  by  the  Ameri 
can  settlers.  He  is  appointed  commissioner  in  1849  to 
run  the  boundary  line  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico. 

1859 — Expiration  of  the  charter  and  the  license  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company.  Its  territory  is  opened  to  all  alike.  It 
cedes  its  territorial  possessions,  the  Hudson  Bay  Ter 
ritory,  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada  in  1870. 

1867 — The  Russian-American  Fur  Company  sells  its  property 
and  rights  to  the  United  States  at  the  same  time  that 
Alaska  is  transferred. 


THE  FUR  TRADERS  OF  THE 
COLUMBIA  RIVER 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  NORTHWEST  COMPANY 

TWO  leading  objects  of  gain  gave  birth  to  wide  and 
daring  enterprise  in  the  early  history  of  the 
Americas:  the  precious  metals  of  the  South,  and  the 
rich  peltries  of  the  North.  While  the  fiery  and  mag 
nificent  Spaniard,  inflamed  with  the  mania  for  gold, 
extended  his  discoveries  and  conquests  over  those  bril 
liant  countries  scorched  by  the  ardent  sun  of  the  tropics, 
the  adroit  Frenchman,  the  calculating  Briton,  and  the 
plodding  Dutchman,  pursued  the  traffic  in  furs  amidst 
the  more  northern  regions  until  they  advanced  even 
within  the  Arctic  Circle. 

The  French  adventurers,  who  settled  on  the  banks 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  soon  found  that,  in  the  rich  peltries 
of  the  interior,  they  had  sources  of  wealth  that  rivalled 
the  mines  of  Mexico  and  Peru.  The  trade  increased, 
and  was  drawn  from  remote  regions  to  Montreal ;  and 
there  grew  up  with  this  trade  a  new  class  of  men,  the 
rangers  of  the  woods  (coureurs  de  bois),  who  became, 


2  The  Fur  Traders 

as  it  were,  the  peddlers  of  the  wilderness.  These  loose 
adventurers  gradually  corrupted  the  Indians  and  were 
forbidden  to  trade  into  the  interior  of  the  country  with 
out  a  license. 

At  length  it  was  found  necessary  to  establish  fortified 
posts  at  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  and  the  lakes  for 
the  protection  of  the  trade,  and  the  restraint  of  these 
profligates  of  the  wilderness.  The  most  important  of 
these  was  at  Mackinac,  an  island  situated  at  the  strait 
of  the  same  name  which  connects  Lakes  Huron  and 
Michigan.  Here  new  expeditions  were  fitted  out  and 
took  their  departure  for  Lake  Michigan  and  the  Mis 
sissippi,  Lake  Superior  and  the  Northwest;  and  here 
the  peltries  brought  in  return  were  embarked  for 
Montreal. 

The  French  traders  at  first  had  matters  quite  their 
own  way  along  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Lakes,  as  did 
the  Dutch  East  India  Company  in  New  Netherland 
with  its  chief  posts  at  Beaverwyck  (Albany)  and  New 
Amsterdam  (New  York).  After  New  Netherland  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  English  (1664),  the  Canadian 
traders  found  troublesome  competitors  in  the  British 
merchants  of  New  York,  who  inveigled  the  Indians 
and  the  coureurs  de  bois  to  their  posts,  and  traded  with 
them  on  more  favourable  terms.  A  still  more  formida 
ble  opposition  was  organised  in  the  Hudson  Bay  Com 
pany,  chartered  by  Charles  II.,  in  1670,  with  the 
exclusive  privilege  of  establishing  trading-houses  on 
the  shore  of  Hudson  Bay  and  its  tributary  rivers;  a 
monopoly  which  was  maintained  until  1859. 

In  1763  the  French  lost  possession  of  Canada,  and 
the  fur  trade  fell  principally  into  the  hands  of  British 
subjects.  It  was  then  pursued  with  much  eagerness 
by  individual  merchants  who  injured  the  trade  by 


The  Northwest  Company  3 

their  attempts  to  outbid  and  undermine  each  other; 
the  Indians  were  debauched  by  liquors;  while  bloody 
feuds  took  place  between  rival  trading  parties,  when 
they  happened  to  meet  in  the  lawless  depths  of  the 
wilderness. 

To  put  an  end  to  this  ruinous  strife,  several  of  the 
principal  merchants  of  Montreal  formed  a  partnership 
in  the  winter  of  1783,  which,  by  being  merged  in  a 
rival  company  in  1787,  became  the  famous  "  Northwest 
Company."  This  for  a  time  held  lordly  sway  over  the 
wintry  lakes  and  boundless  forests  of  Canada. 

To  behold  the  Northwest  Company  in  all  its  state 
and  grandeur,  it  was  necessary  to  witness  an  annual 
gathering  at  Fort  William,  near  what  is  called  the 
Grand  Portage,  on  I,ake  Superior.  Here  two  or  three 
of  the  leading  partners  from  Montreal  proceeded  once 
a  year  to  meet  the  partners  from  the  various  trading- 
posts  of  the  wilderness,  to  discuss  the  affairs  of  the  com 
pany  during  the  preceding  year,  and  to  arrange  plans 
for  the  future. 

The  partners  from  Montreal,  however,  quite  eclipsed 
their  compeers  from  the  woods,  whose  forms  and  faces 
had  been  battered  and  hardened  by  hard  living  and 
hard  service,  and  whose  garments  and  equipments 
were  all  the  worse  for  wear.  Indeed  the  partners  from 
below  considered  the  whole  dignity  of  the  company  as 
represented  in  their  persons,  and  conducted  themselves 
in  suitable  style.  They  ascended  the  rivers  in  great 
state,  like  sovereigns  making  a  progress.  They  were 
wrapped  in  rich  furs,  their  huge  canoes  freighted  with 
every  convenience  and  luxury,  and  manned  by  Cana 
dian  voyageurs,  as  obedient  as  Highland  clansmen. 
Happy  were  they,  too,  if  they  could  meet  with  some 
distinguished  stranger;  above  all,  some  titled  member 


4  The  Fur  Traders 

of  the  British  nobility,  to  accompany  them  on  this 
stately  occasion,  and  grace  their  high  solemnities. 

Fort  William,  the  scene  of  this  important  annual 
meeting,  was  a  considerable  village  on  the  banks  of 
Lake  Superior.  Here,  in  an  immense  wooden  build 
ing,  was  the  great  council  hall,  as  also  the  banqueting 
chamber,  decorated  with  Indian  arms  and  accoutre 
ments,  and  the  trophies  of  the  fur  trade.  Grave  and 
weighty  councils  were  alternated  by  huge  feasts  and 
revels.  The  tables  in  the  great  banqueting-room 
groaned  under  the  weight  of  game  of  all  kinds,  and 
there  was  no  stint  of  generous  wine;  for  it  was  a  time 
of  loyal  toasts  and  brimming  bumpers. 

While  the  chiefs  revelled  in  hall,  and  made  the  raf 
ters  resound  with  bursts  of  loyalty  and  old  Scottish 
songs,  chanted  in  voices  cracked  and  sharpened  by  the 
northern  blast,  their  merriment  was  echoed  and  pro 
longed  by  a  mongrel  legion  of  retainers,  Canadian 
•voyageurs,  half-breeds,  Indian  hunters,  and  vagabond 
hangers-on,  who  feasted  sumptuously  without  on  the 
crumbs  that  fell  from  their  table,  and  made  the  welkin 
ring  with  old  French  ditties,  mingled  with  Indian  yelps 
and  yellings. 

The  success  of  the  Northwest  Company  stimulated 
further  enterprise  in  this  opening  and  apparently 
boundless  field  of  profit.  The  traffic  of  that  company 
lay  principally  in  the  high  northern  latitudes,  while 
there  were  immense  regions  to  the  south  and  west, 
known  to  abound  with  valuable  peltries;  but  which,  as 
yet,  had  been  but  little  explored  by  the  fur  trader.  A 
new  association  of  British  merchants  was  therefore 
formed  to  prosecute  the  trade  in  this  direction,  and  it 
was  commonly  called  the  Mackinaw  Company,  from  the 
fact  that  its  chief  factory  was  on  Mackinac  Island. 


The  Northwest  Company  5 

The  Government  of  the  United  States  began  to  view 
with  a  wary  eye  the  growing  influence  thus  acquired 
by  combinations  of  foreigners  over  the  aboriginal 
tribes  inhabiting  its  territories,  and  endeavoured  to 
counteract  it.  For  this  purpose,  as  early  as  1796,  the 
government  sent  out  agents  to  establish  rival  trading- 
houses  on  the  frontier,  so  as  to  supply  the  wants  of  the 
Indians,  to  link  their  interests  and  feelings  with  those 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  and  to  divert  this 
important  branch  of  trade  into  national  channels.  The 
expedition,  however,  was  unsuccessful;  but  what  the 
government  failed  to  effect  with  all  its  patronage  and 
all  its  agents  was  at  length  brought  about  by  the  enter 
prise  and  perseverance  of  a  single  merchant,  one  of  its 
adopted  citizens. 

John  Jacob  Astor,  the  individual  in  question,  was 
born  in  the  honest  little  German  village  of  Waldorf, 
near  Heidelberg,  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine.  He,  while 
yet  a  mere  stripling,  left  his  home,  and  launched  him 
self  amid  the  busy  scenes  of  London.  At  the  close  of 
the  American  Revolution  he  was  still  in  London;  but  he 
had  already  determined  to  follow  an  older  brother  and 
to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  United  States.  Investing 
a  small  sum  in  merchandise  suited  to  the  American 
market,  he  embarked,  in  1783,  in  a  ship  bound  to 
Baltimore. 

On  the  way  Mr.  Astor  became  acquainted  with  a 
countryman  of  his,  a  furrier  by  trade,  who  cheerfully 
gave  him  all  the  information  in  his  power  as  to  the 
quality  and  value  of  different  furs,  and  the  mode  of 
carrying  on  the  traffic.  He  subsequently  accompanied 
him  to  New  York,  and,  by  his  advice,  Mr.  Astor  was  in 
duced  to  invest  the  proceeds  of  his  merchandise  in  furs. 
With  these  he  sailed  from  New  York  to  London  in 


6  The  Fur  Traders 

1784,  disposed  of  them  advantageously,  made  himself 
further  acquainted  with  the  course  of  the  trade,  and  re 
turned  the  same  year  to  New  York. 

As  yet,  trade  in  peltries  was  not  organised  in  the 
United  States,  and  could  not  be  said  to  form  a  regular 
line  of  business.  Furs  and  skins  were  casually  col 
lected  by  the  country  traders  in  their  dealings  with  the 
Indians  or  the  white  hunters,  but  the  main  supply  was 
derived  from  Canada.  As  Mr.  Astor's  means  increased, 
he  made  annual  visits  to  Montreal,  where  he  purchased 
furs  from  the  houses  engaged  in  the  trade. 

In  1795,  a  treaty  with  Great  Britain  removed  the  re 
strictions  imposed  upon  the  trade  with  the  colonies,  and 
opened  a  direct  commercial  intercourse  between  Canada 
and  the  United  States.  Mr.  Astor  was  in  London  at 
the  time,  and  immediately  made  a  contract  with  the 
agents  of  the  Northwest  Fur  Company  for  furs.  He 
was  now  enabled  to  import  them  from  Montreal  into 
the  United  States  for  the  home  supply,  and  to  ship 
them  thence  to  different  parts  of  Europe,  as  well  as  to 
China,  which  has  ever  been  the  best  market  for  the 
richest  and  finest  kinds  of  peltry. 

The  treaty  in  question  provided,  likewise,  that  the 
military  posts  occupied  by  the  British  within  the 
territorial  limits  of  the  United  States  should  be 
surrendered.  Accordingly  Oswego,  Niagara,  Detroit, 
Mackinac,  and  other  posts  on  the  American  side  of  the 
Lakes,  were  given  up,  and  an  opening  was  thus  made 
for  American  merchants.  After  an  interval  of  some 
years,  about  1807,  Mr.  Astor  embarked  in  this  trade  on 
his  own  account.  His  capital  and  resources  had  by  this 
time  greatly  augmented,  and  he  had  risen  from  small 
beginnings  to  take  his  place  among  the  first  merchants 
and  financiers  of  the  country. 


The  Northwest  Company  7 

He  was  aware  of  the  wish  of  the  American  Govern 
ment,  already  stated,  that  the  fur  trade  within  its 
boundaries  should  be  in  the  hands  ot  American  citizens, 
and  of  the  ineffectual  measures  it  had  taken  to  accom 
plish  that  object.  He  now  offered,  if  aided  and  pro 
tected  by  the  government,  to  turn  the  whole  of  that 
trade  into  American  channels  ;  and  to  that  end  he  ob 
tained,  in  1809,  a  charter  from  the  legislature  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  incorporating  a  company  under  the 
name  of  the  American  Fur  Company. 

As  the  Mackinaw  Company  still  continued  its  rivalry, 
and  as  the  fur  trade  would  not  advantageously  admit  of 
competition,  he  bought  out  the  Mackinaw  Company,  in 
1811,  and  merged  that  into  what  might  be  called  the 
Northern  Department  of  the  American  Fur  Company, 
to  be  known  as  the  Southwest  Company. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  AMERICAN   FUR   COMPANY 

WHILE  the  various  companies  we  have  noticed 
were  pushing  their  enterprises  far  and  wide  in 
the  wilds  of  Canada,  and  along  the  course  of  the  great 
western  waters,  other  adventurers,  intent  on  the  same 
objects,  were  traversing  the  watery  wastes  of  the  Pa 
cific  and  skirting  the  north-west  coast  of  America. 

Among  the  American  ships  which  traded  along  the 
north-west  coast  in  1792  was  the  Columbia,  Captain 
Gray,  of  Boston.  In  the  course  of  her  voyage  she  dis 
covered  the  mouth  of  a  large  river  in  lat.  46°  19'  north. 
Entering  it  with  some  difficulty,  on  account  of  sand 
bars  and  breakers,  she  came  to  anchor  in  a  spacious 
bay.  A  boat  was  well  manned  and  sent  on  shore  to  a 
village  on  the  beach,  but  all  the  inhabitants  fled  except 
ing  the  aged  and  infirm.  The  kind  manner  in  which 
these  were  treated,  and  the  presents  given  to  them, 
gradually  lured  back  the  others,  and  a  friendly  inter 
course  took  place.  They  had  never  seen  a  ship  or  a 
white  man. 

Captain  Gray  did  not  ascend  the  river  farther  than 
the  bay  in  question,  which  continues  to  bear  his  name. 
After  putting  to  sea,  he  fell  in  with  the  celebrated  dis 
coverer,  Vancouver,  and  informed  him  of  his  discovery, 
furnishing  him  with  a  chart  which  he  had  made  of  the 
river.  Vancouver  visited  the  river,  and  his  lieutenant, 

8 


The  American  Fur  Company  9 

Broughton,  explored  it  by  the  aid  of  Captain  Gray's 
chart;  ascending  it  upwards  of  one  hundred  miles, 
until  within  view  of  a  snowy  mountain,  to  which 
he  gave  the  name  of  Mount  Hood.  This  it  still 
retains. 

After  a  time  the  attention  of  the  American  Govern 
ment  was  attracted  to  the  subject  of  an  overland  route 
to  the  Pacific,  and  the  memorable  expedition  under 
Messrs.  Lewis  and  Clark  was  fitted  out.  These  gen 
tlemen,  in  1804,  ascended  the  Missouri,  passed  through 
the  stupendous  gates  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  hitherto 
unknown  to  white  men,  discovered  and  explored  the 
upper  waters  of  the  Columbia,  and  followed  that  river 
down  to  its  mouth,  where  their  countryman,  Gray,  had 
anchored  about  twelve  years  previously.  Here  they 
passed  the  winter,  and  returned  across  the  mountains 
in  the  following  spring.  Their  reports  demonstrated 
the  practicability  of  establishing  a  line  of  communica 
tion  across  the  continent,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean. 

It  was  then  that  the  idea  presented  itself  to  the  mind 
of  Mr.  Astor  of  grasping  with  his  individual  hand  this 
great  enterprise,  namely,  to  establish  a  line  of  trading 
posts  along  the  Missouri  and  the  Columbia,  to  the 
mouth  of  the  latter,  and  to  found  there  the  chief  trad 
ing-house  or  mart.  There,  too,  coasting  craft  would 
be  built  and  fitted  out  to  trade,  at  favourable  seasons, 
all  along  the  north-west  coast,  and  return,  with  the  pro 
ceeds  of  their  vogages,  to  this  place  of  deposit.  A  ship 
was  to  be  sent  annually  from  New  York  to  this  main 
establishment  with  reinforcements  and  supplies,  and 
with  merchandise  suited  to  the  trade.  It  would  take 
on  board  the  furs  collected  during  the  preceding  year, 
carry  them  to  Canton,  invest  the  proceeds  in  the  rich 


io  The  Fur  Traders 

merchandise  of  China,  and  return  thus  freighted  to 
New  York. 

Mr.  Astor  now  prepared  to  carry  his  scheme  into 
prompt  execution.  He  had  some  competition,  how 
ever,  to  apprehend  and  guard  against.  The  Northwest 
Company  had  pushed  one  or  two  advance  trading 
posts  across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  into  a  tract  of 
country  about  two  degrees  north  of  the  Columbia,  and 
lying  between  the  territories  of  the  United  States  and 
those  of  Russia.  But  their  posts  beyond  the  mountains 
had  to  be  supplied  in  yearly  expeditions,  like  caravans, 
from  Montreal,  and  the  furs  conveyed  back  in  the  same 
way,  by  long,  precarious,  and  expensive  routes  across 
the  continent.  Mr.  Astor,  on  the  contrary,  would  be 
able  to  supply  his  proposed  establishment  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia  by  sea,  and  to  ship  the  furs  collected 
there  directly  to  China,  so  as  to  undersell  the  North 
west  Company  in  the  great  Chinese  market. 

Still,  the  competition  of  two  rival  companies  west  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains  could  not  but  prove  detrimental 
to  both,  and  fraught  with  those  evils,  both  to  the  trade 
and  to  the  Indians,  that  had  attended  similar  rivalries 
in  the  Canadas.  To  prevent  any  contest  of  the  kind, 
therefore,  he  made  known  his  plan  to  the  agents  of  the 
Northwest  Company,  and  proposed  to  interest  them,  to 
the  extent  of  one-third,  in  the  trade  thus  to  be  opened. 
After  some  negotiation  and  delay,  they  declined  the 
proposition,  but  subsequently  despatched  a  party  for 
the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  to  establish  a  post  there 
before  any  expedition  sent  out  by  Mr.  Astor  might 
arrive. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Astor,  finding  his  overtures  re 
jected,  proceeded  fearlessly  to  execute  his  enterprise  in 
face  of  the  whole  power  of  the  Northwest  Company 


The  American  Fur  Company  n 

He  now  proceeded  to  procure  proper  agents  and  coad 
jutors,  habituated  to  the  Indian  trade  and  to  the  life  of 
the  wilderness.  Among  the  clerks  of  the  Northwest 
Company  were  several  of  great  capacity  and  experi 
ence,  who  had  not  been  promoted,  and  were  conse 
quently  ready  for  any  employment  in  which  their 
talents  and  acquirements  might  be  turned  to  better 
account. 

On  the  23rd  of  June,  1810,  the  articles  of  agreement 
of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  were  entered  into  between 
Mr.  Astor  and  four  gentlemen,  Alexander  M'Kay, 
Duncan  M'Dougal,  Donald  M'Kenzie,and  Wilson  Price 
Hunt  of  New  Jersey.  The  first  three  of  these  were 
drawn  from  the  Northwest  Company,  but  Mr.  Hunt 
was  a  successful  business  man  in  St.  Louis,  a  person  of 
great  worth,  who  was  selected  by  Mr.  Astor  to  repre 
sent  him  in  the  new  establishment. 

Mr.  Astor  was  to  furnish  all  the  capital  for  the  com 
pany,  was  to  be  its  head,  and  was  to  have  fifty  shares 
of  its  stock,  the  other  fifty  being  divided  among  the 
partners  and  their  associates.  He  was  to  furnish  ves 
sels,  goods,  provisions,  arms,  ammunition,  and  all 
other  requisites,  and  was  to  bear  all  losses  of  the  first 
five  years — a  period  within  which  the  company  might 
be  dissolved,  if  it  should  be  found  unprofitable. 

In  prosecuting  this  great  scheme  of  commerce  and 
colonisation,  two  expeditions  were  devised,  one  by  sea, 
the  other  by  land.  The  former  was  to  carry  out  the 
people,  stores,  ammunition,  and  merchandise  requisite 
for  establishing  a  fortified  trading  post  at  the  mouth  of 
Columbia  River.  The  latter,  conducted  by  Mr.  Hunt, 
was  to  proceed  up  the  Missouri  and  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  by  the  route  of  Lewis  and  Clark,  to  the 
same  point;  exploring  a  line  of  communication  across 


12  The  Fur  Traders 

the  continent,  and  noting  the  places  where  interior 
trading  posts  might  be  established. 

A  fine  ship  was  provided,  called  the  Tonquin,  of  two 
hundred  and  ninety  tons  burden,  mounting  ten  guns, 
with  a  crew  of  twenty  men.  She  carried  an  assortment 
of  merchandise  for  trading  with  the  natives  of  the  sea 
board  and  of  the  interior,  together  with  the  frame  of  a 
schooner  to  be  employed  in  the  coasting  trade.  Seeds 
also  were  provided  for  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  and 
nothing  was  neglected  for  the  necessary  supply  of  the 
establishment.  The  command  of  *he  ship  was  in 
trusted  to  Jonathan  Thorn,  of  New  York,  a  lieutenant 
in  the  United  States  Navy  on  leave  of  absence,  a  man 
of  courage  and  firmness,  who  had  distinguished  himself 
in  our  Tripolitan  war. 

Beside  four  partners,  M'Kay,  M'Dougal,  David 
Stuart,  and  his  nephew,  Robert  Stuart,  there  were 
twelve  clerks  to  go  out  in  the  ship,  several  of  them  na 
tives  of  Canada,  who  had  some  experience  in  the  Ind 
ian  trade.  Several  artisans  were  likewise  to  sail  in 
the  ship,  for  the  supply  of  the  colony ;  but  the  most 
peculiar  and  characteristic  part  of  this  motley  embarka 
tion  consisted  of  thirteen  voyageurs^  who  were  to 
be  employed  in  long  internal  expeditions  of  travel  and 
traffic. 

The  voyageurs  were  determined  to  regale  and 
astonish  the  people  of  the  "  States"  with  the  sight  of 
a  Canadian  boat  and  a  Canadian  crew.  They  accord 
ingly  fitted  up  a  large  but  light  bark  canoe,  such  as  is 
used  in  the  fur  trade;  transported  it  in  a  waggon  from 
the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  shores  of  Lake 
Champlain ;  traversed  the  lake  in  it,  from  end  to  end ; 
hoisted  it  again  in  a  waggon  and  wheeled  it  off  to 
Lansingburg,  and  there  launched  it  upon  the  waters 


The  American  Fur  Company          13 

of  the  Hudson.  Down  this  river  they  plied  their  course 
merrily  on  a  fine  summer's  day,  making  its  banks  re 
sound  for  the  first  time  with  their  old  French  boat 
songs;  passing  by  the  villages  with  whoop  and  halloo, 
so  as  to  make  the  honest  Dutch  farmers  mistake  them 
for  a  crew  of  savages.  In  this  way  they  swept,  in  full 
song  and  with  regular  flourish  of  the  paddle,  round  New 
York,  in  a  still  summer  evening,  to  the  wonder  and  ad 
miration  of  its  inhabitants,  who  had  never  before  wit 
nessed  on  their  waters  a  nautical  apparition  of  the 
kind. 

While  yet  in  port  and  on  dry  land,  in  the  bustle  of 
preparation  and  the  excitement  of  novelty,  all  was  sun 
shine  and  promise.  The  Canadians,  especially,  were 
buoyant  and  boastful,  and  great  braggarts  as  to  the  fut 
ure  ;  while  all  those  who  had  been  in  the  service  of  the 
Northwest  Company,  and  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade, 
plumed  themselves  upon  their  hardihood  and  their 
capacity  to  endure  privations.  They  were  "  North 
westers";  men  seasoned  to  hardships,  who  cared  for 
neither  wind  nor  weather.  They  could  live  hard,  lie 
hard,  sleep  hard,  eat  dogs! — in  a  word,  they  were  ready 
to  do  and  suffer  anything  for  the  good  of  the  enterprise. 

Meanwhile  it  was  a  time  of  doubt  and  anxiety,  when 
the  relations  between  the  United  States  and  Great 
Britain  were  daily  assuming  a  more  precarious  aspect 
and  verging  towards  that  war  which  shortly  ensued. 
To  guard  against  any  interruption  to  the  voyage  by 
the  armed  brig,  said  to  be  off  the  harbour,  Commodore 
Rodgers,  commanding  at  New  York,  sent  directions  to 
Captain  Hull,  at  that  time  cruising  off  the  harbour  in 
the  frigate  Constitution,  to  afford  the  Tonquin  safe 
convoy  off  the  coast. 

Before  the  day  of  embarkation,  Mr.  Astor  addressed 


14  The  Fur  Traders 

a  letter  of  instruction  to  the  four  partners  who  were  to 
sail  in  the  ship.  In  this  he  gave  them  especial  caution 
as  to  their  conduct  on  arriving  at  their  destined  port ; 
exhorting  them  to  be  careful  to  make  a  favourable  im 
pression  upon  the  wild  people  among  whom  their  lot 
and  the  fortunes  of  the  enterprise  would  be  cast.  "  If 
you  find  them  kind,"  said  he,  "  as  I  hope  you  will,  be 
so  to  them.  If  otherwise,  act  with  caution  and  forbear 
ance,  and  convince  them  that  you  come  as  friends." 

To  Captain  Thorn  he  wrote:  "  To  prevent  any  mis 
understanding  will  require  your  particular  good  man 
agement.  I  must  recommend  you  to  be  particularly 
careful  on  the  coast,  and  not  to  rely  too  much  on  the 
friendly  disposition  of  the  natives.  All  accidents  which 
have  as  yet  happened  there  have  arisen  from  too  much 
confidence  in  the  Indians." 


CHAPTER  III 

OUTWARD    BOUND 

ON  the  8th  of  Septemper,  1810,  the  Tonquin  put  to 
sea,  where  she  was  soon  joined  by  the  frigate 
Constitution.  The  wind  was  fresh  and  fair  from  the 
south-west,  and  the  ship  was  soon  out  of  sight  of  land 
and  free  from  the  apprehended  danger  of  interruption. 
The  frigate,  therefore,  gave  her  "  Godspeed,"  and  left 
her  to  her  course. 

The  harmony  so  earnestly  enjoined  by  Mr.  Astor  on 
this  heterogeneous  crew,  and  which  had  been  so  confid 
ently  promised  in  the  buoyant  moments  of  prepara 
tion,  was  doomed  to  meet  with  a  check  at  the  very 
outset.  Captain  Thorn,  an  honest  but  somewhat  dic 
tatorial  commander,  was  disposed  to  be  absolute  lord 
and  master  on  board  of  his  ship.  The  partners,  on  the 
other  hand,  had  been  brought  up  in  the  service  of  the 
Northwest  Company,  and  in  a  profound  idea  of  the  im 
portance,  dignity,  and  authority  of  partners,  whom 
they  had  been  accustomed  to  look  up  to  as  the  great 
ones  of  the  earth ;  and  they  were  a  little  disposed,  per 
haps,  to  wear  their  suddenly  acquired  honours  with 
some  air  of  pretension. 

On  the  very  first  night  Captain  Thorn  began  his 
man-of-war  discipline  by  ordering  the  lights  in  the 
cabin  to  be  extinguished  at  eight  o'clock.  The  pride 
of  the  partners  was  immediately  in  arms.  They  were 

15 


1 6  The  Fur  Traders 

on  board  of  their  own  ship,  and  entitled  to  consult 
their  ease  and  enjoyment.  A  violent  altercation  en 
sued,  in  the  course  of  which  Thorn  threatened  to  put 
the  partners  in  irons  should  they  prove  refractory; 
and  it  was  some  time  before  the  irritated  parties  could 
be  pacified  by  the  more  temperate  bystanders. 

Such  was  the  Captain's  outset  with  the  partners. 
Nor  did  the  clerks  stand  much  higher  in  his  good 
graces;  indeed,  he  seems  to  have  regarded  all  the 
landsmen  on  board  his  ship  as  a  kind  of  live  lumber, 
continually  in  the  way.  The  poor  voyageurs,  too, 
those  fresh -water  sailors,  so  vainglorious  on  shore,  and 
almost  amphibious  when  on  lakes  and  rivers,  lost  all 
heart  and  stomach  the  moment  they  were  at  sea.  For 
days  they  suffered  the  doleful  rigours  and  retchings  of 
seasickness,  lurking  below  in  their  berths  in  squalid 
state,  or  emerging  now  and  then  like  spectres  from  the 
hatchways,  in  capotes  and  blankets,  with  dirty  night 
caps,  grizzly  beard,  lantern  visage,  and  unhappy  eye, 
shivering  about  the  deck,  and  ever  and  anon  crawling 
to  the  sides  of  the  vessel,  and  offering  up  their  tributes 
to  the  windward,  to  the  infinite  annoyance  of  the 
captain. 

Nor  did  his  disgust  and  vexation  cease  when  all 
hands  had  recovered  from  seasickness  and  become  ac 
customed  to  the  ship,  for  now  broke  out  an  alarming 
keenness  of  appetite  that  threatened  havoc  to  the  pro 
visions.  The  partners  were  loud  in  their  complaints 
of  the  ship's  fare,  though  their  table  was  served  with 
fresh  pork,  hams,  tongues,  smoked  beef,  and  puddings. 
"  When  thwarted  in  their  cravings  for  delicacies,"  said 

he,  "they  would  exclaim  it  wasd d  hard  they  could 

not  live  as  they  pleased  upon  their  own  property,  be 
ing  on  board  of  their  own  ship,  freighted  with  their 


Outward  Bound  17 

own  merchandise.  And  these,"  added  he,  "are  the 
fine  fellows  who  made  such  boast  that  they  could  '  eat 
dogs.'  " 

On  the  4th  of  December  they  came  in  sight  of  the 
Falkland  Islands.  Having  been  for  some  time  on  an 
allowance  of  water,  they  resolved  to  anchor  here  and 
obtain  a  supply.  Mr.  M'Dougal  and  Mr.  M'Kay  took 
this  occasion  to  go  on  shore,  but  with  a  request  from 
the  Captain  that  they  would  not  detain  the  ship. 
They  pitched  a  tent  on  shore,  had  a  boat  at  their  com 
mand,  and  passed  their  time  merrily  in  rambling  about 
the  island,  and  coasting  along  the  shores,  shooting  sea- 
lions,  seals,  foxes,  geese,  ducks,  and  penguins. 

On  the  morning  of  the  i  ith,  the  repairs  being  all  fin 
ished,  and  the  water  casks  replenished,  the  signal  was 
given  to  embark,  and  the  ship  began  to  weigh  anchor. 
At  this  time  several  of  the  passengers  were  dispersed 
about  the  island,  amusing  themselves  in  various  ways. 
The  two  sporting  partners,  however,  had  strolled  away 
to  the  south  of  the  island  in  pursuit  of  penguins.  It 
would  never  do  to  put  off  without  them,  as  there  was 
but  one  boat  to  convey  the  whole. 

While  this  delay  took  place  on  shore,  the  Captain 
was  storming  on  board.  His  orders  had  been  treated 
with  contempt,  and  the  ship  was  being  wantonly  de 
tained  ;  so  he  spread  all  sail  and  put  to  sea,  swearing 
he  would  leave  the  laggards  to  shift  for  themselves. 
"  Had  the  wind,"  wrote  he  to  Mr.  Astor,  "  (unfortun 
ately)  not  hauled  ahead  soon  after  leaving  the  har 
bour's  mouth,  I  should  positively  have  left  them;  and, 
indeed,  I  cannot  but  think  it  an  unfortunate  circum 
stance  for  you  that  it  so  happened,  for  the  first  loss  in 
this  instance  would,  in  my  opinion,  have  proved  the 
best,  as  they  seem  to  have  no  idea  of  the  value  of 


1 8  The  Fur  Traders 

property,  nor  any  apparent  regard  for  your  interest, 
although  interwoven  with  their  own." 

Besides  these  feuds  between  the  Captain  and  the  part 
ners,  there  were  feuds  between  the  partners  themselves, 
occasioned,  in  some  measure,  by  jealousy  of  rank. 
They  began  to  draw  plans  for  the  fort  and  other  build 
ings  of  the  intended  establishment.  They  agreed  very 
well  as  to  the  outline  and  dimensions,  which  were  on  a 
sufficiently  grand  scale;  but  when  they  came  to  ar 
range  the  details,  fierce  disputes  arose,  and  they  would 
quarrel  by  the  hour  about  the  distribution  of  the  doors 
and  windows. 

While  all  this  petty  anarchy  was  agitating  the  little 
world  within  the  Tonquin,  the  good  ship  prosper 
ously  pursued  her  course,  doubled  Cape  Horn  on  the 
25th  of  December,  careered  across  the  bosom  of  the 
Pacific,  until,  on  the  nth  of  February,  the  snowy 
peaks  of  Hawaii  were  seen  brightening  above  the 
horizon. 

On  the  morning  after  her  arrival,  the  ship  was  sur 
rounded  by  canoes  and  pirogues,  filled  with  the  island 
ers,  bringing  off  supplies  of  fruits  and  vegetables, 
bananas,  plantains,  watermelons,  yams,  cabbages,  and 
taro.  The  Captain  was  desirous,  however,  of  purchas 
ing  a  number  of  hogs;  but  there  were  none  to  be  had. 
The  trade  in  pork  was  a  royal  monopoly,  and  no  sub 
ject  of  the  great  Tamaahmaah  dared  to  meddle  with  it. 
Such  provisions  as  they  could  furnish,  however,  were 
brought  by  the  natives  in  abundance,  and  a  lively  in 
tercourse  was  kept  up  during  the  day. 

Captain  Thorn,  being  disappointed  in  his  hope  of  ob 
taining  a  supply  of  pork,  or  finding  good  water,  was 
anxious  to  be  off.  As  soon,  then,  as  he  could  get  his 
inquisitive  partners  once  more  on  board,  he  weighed 


Outward  Bound  19 

anchor,  and  made  sail  for  the  island  of  Oahu,  the  royal 
residence  of  Tamaahmaah. 

While  at  anchor  there,  much  ceremonious  visiting 
and  long  conferences  took  place  between  the  potentate 
of  the  islands  and  the  partners  of  the  company. 
Tamaahmaah  came  on  board  of  the  ship  in  royal  style, 
in  his  double  pirogue.  The  American  flag  was  dis 
played,  four  guns  were  fired,  and  the  partners  appeared 
in  scarlet  coats,  and  conducted  their  illustrious  guests 
to  the  cabin,  where  they  were  regaled  with  wine.  In 
this  interview  the  partners  endeavoured  to  impress  the 
monarch  with  a  sense  of  their  importance,  and  of  the 
importance  of  the  association  to  which  they  belonged. 

On  the  day  subsequent  to  the  monarch's  visit,  the 
partners  landed  and  waited  upon  him  in  return. 
Knowing  the  effect  of  show  and  dress  upon  men  in 
savage  life,  and  wishing  to  make  a  favourable  impres 
sion  as  the  chiefs  of  the  great  American  Fur  Company, 
some  of  them  appeared  in  Highland  plaids  and  kilts, 
to  the  great  admiration  of  the  natives. 

While  visits  of  ceremony  and  grand  diplomatic  con 
ferences  were  going  on  between  the  partners  and  the 
King,  the  Captain  was  pushing  what  he  considered  a  far 
more  important  negotiation, — the  purchase  of  a  supply 
of  hogs.  He  found  that  the  King  was  a  magnanimous 
monarch,  but  a  shrewd  pork  merchant.  Several  inter 
views  were  requisite,  and  much  bargaining,  before  he 
could  be  brought  to  part  with  a  bristle  of  his  bacon, 
and  then  he  insisted  upon  being  paid  in  hard  Spanish 
dollars  ;  giving  as  a  reason  that  he  wanted  money  to 
purchase  a  frigate  from  his  brother  George,  as  he 
affectionately  termed  the  King  of  England. 

At  length  the  royal  bargain  was  concluded;  the 
necessary  supply  of  hogs  was  obtained,  besides  several 


2O  The  Fur  Traders 

goats,  two  sheep,  a  quantity  of  poultry,  and  vegetables 
in  abundance.  The  partners  decided  also  to  recruit 
their  forces  from  the  natives  of  this  island,  for  they  had 
never  seen  watermen  equal  to  them.  Twelve  were 
therefore  enlisted  for  the  company,  and  as  many  more 
for  the  service  of  the  ship. 

And  now,  having  embarked  his  live-stock,  fruits, 
vegetables,  and  water,  the  Captain  was  ready  to  set 
sail.  A  favourable  breeze  sprang  up,  and  in  a  little 
while  the  rich  groves,  green  hills,  and  snowy  peaks  of 
those  happy  islands  one  after  another  sank  from  sight, 
or  melted  into  the  blue  distance,  and  the  Tonquin 
ploughed  her  course  towards  the  sterner  regions  of  the 
Pacific.  Nothing  occurred  materially  to  disturb  the 
residue  of  the  voyage,  excepting  a  violent  storm ;  and 
on  the  twenty-second  of  March  the  Tonquin  arrived 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River. 


CHAPTER  IV 

ASTORIA 

THE  mouth  of  the  Columbia  is  upwards  of  four  miles 
wide,  with  a  peninsula  and  promontory  on  one 
side,  and  a  long,  low  spit  of  land  on  the  other;  be 
tween  which  a  sand-bar  and  chain  of  breakers  almost 
block  up  the  entrance.  At  the  time  of  the  arrival  of 
the  Tonquin  a  fresh  wind  from  the  north-west  sent  a 
rough,  tumbling  sea  upon  the  coast,  which  broke  upon 
the  bar  in  furious  surges,  and  extended  a  sheet  of  foam 
almost  across  the  mouth  of  the  river,  making  necessary 
some  guide  to  their  course. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  first  mate  was  sent 
with  four  assistants  to  sound  the  channel  and  direct  the 
course  of  the  ship.  They  quickly  disappeared  in  the 
huge,  rolling  waves;  evening  set  in;  morning  came; 
an  anxious  day  and  another  anxious  night  passed,  but 
no  boat  came.  Again  the  Tonquin  stood  in  to  seek 
the  channel,  but  was  again  deterred  by  the  frightful 
aspect  of  the  breakers  from  venturing  within  a  league. 
Here  she  hove  to ;  and  the  second  mate  was  despatched 
with  four  hands,  in  the  pinnace,  to  sound  across  the 
channel  until  he  should  find  four  fathoms'  depth.  The 
pinnace  entered  among  the  breakers,  but  was  near 
being  lost,  and  with  difficulty  got  back  to  the  ship. 

The  Captain  now  turned  to  Mr.  Aiken,  an  able 
mariner,  and  ordered  him,  together  with  John  Coles, 

21 


22  The  Fur  Traders 

sailmaker,  Stephen  Weekes,  armourer,  and  two  Sand 
wich  Islanders,  to  proceed  ahead  and  take  soundings, 
while  the  ship  should  follow  under  easy  sail.  In  this 
way  they  proceeded  until  Aiken  had  ascertained  the 
channel,  when  signal  was  given  from  the  ship  for  him 
to  return  on  board.  He  was  then  within  pistol-shot, 
but  so  furious  was  the  current  and  tumultuous  the 
breakers  that  the  boat  became  unmanageable,  and  was 
hurried  away,  the  crew  crying  out  piteously  for  assist 
ance.  Shortly  after  she  broached  broadside  to  the 
waves,  and  her  case  seemed  desperate.  The  attention 
of  those  on  board  of  the  ship  was  now  called  to  their 
own  safety,  for  the  vessel  struck  repeatedly,  the  waves 
broke  over  her,  and  there  was  danger  of  her  founder 
ing.  The  night  coming  on,  they  cast  anchor;  and  at 
length  the  reflux  of  the  tide,  and  the  springing  up  of 
the  wind,  enabled  them  to  quit  their  dangerous  situa 
tion  and  take  shelter  in  a  small  bay  within  Cape  Dis 
appointment,  where  they  rode  in  safety  during  the 
residue  of  a  stormy  night,  and  enjoyed  a  brief  interval 
of  refreshing  sleep. 

With  the  light  of  day  they  looked  out  from  the  mast 
head  over  a  wild  coast  and  wilder  sea,  but  could  dis 
cover  no  trace  of  the  two  boats  and  their  crews  that 
were  missing.  Parties  now  scoured  the  neighbour 
hood,  the  one  headed  by  the  Captain  soon  coming  upon 
Weekes,  the  armourer.  He  and  one  of  the  Islanders 
were  the  only  survivors  of  the  crew  of  the  jolly-boat, 
and  no  trace  was  ever  discovered  of  the  first  mate  and 
his  party.  Thus  eight  men  were  lost  on  the  first  ap 
proach  to  the  coast. 

Further  search  was  made  for  the  missing  men,  but 
with  no  better  success,  and  they  were  at  length  given 
up  as  lost.  In  the  meantime,  the  Captain  and  some  of 


Astoria  23 

the  partners  explored  the  river  for  some  distance  in  a 
large  boat,  to  select  a  suitable  place  for  the  trading  post. 
Their  old  jealousies  and  differences  continued;  they 
never  could  coincide  in  their  choice. 

On  the  following  day,  therefore,  without  troubling 
himself  to  consult  the  partners,  the  Captain  landed  in 
Baker's  Bay,  on  the  north  shore,  and  proceeded  to  erect 
a  shed  for  the  reception  of  the  rigging,  equipments,  and 
stores  of  the  schooner  that  was  to  be  built  for  the  use 
of  the  settlement. 

Not  having  the  Captain  to  contend  with,  the  part 
ners  soon  pitched  upon  a  spot  on  the  south  shore  which 
appeared  to  them  favourable  for  the  intended  establish 
ment.  It  was  on  a  point  of  land  called  Point  George, 
having  a  very  good  harbour,  where  vessels  not  exceed 
ing  two  hundred  tons  burden  might  anchor  within 
fifty  yards  of  the  shore. 

After  a  day  thus  profitably  spent,  they  recrossed  the 
river,  but  landed  several  miles  above  the  anchoring 
ground  of  the  Tonquin,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Chi 
nook,  and  visited  the  village  of  that  tribe.  Here  they 
were  received  with  great  hospitality  by  the  chief,  Com- 
comly,  a  shrewd  old  savage,  with  but  one  eye,  who 
certainly  possessed  great  sway,  not  only  over  his  own 
tribe  but  also  over  the  neighbourhood. 

With  this  worthy  tribe  of  Chiuooks  the  two  partners 
passed  a  part  of  the  day  very  agreeably.  They  gave  it 
to  be  understood  that  they  were  two  chiefs  of  a  great 
trading  company,  about  to  be  established  there;  and 
the  quick  -  sighted,  though  one  -  eyed  chief,  regaled 
them,  therefore,  with  abundance  of  salmon  and  wap- 
patoo.  The  next  morning  they  prepared  to  return  to 
the  vessel  over  eleven  miles  of  open  bay;  the  wind 
was  fresh,  the  waves  ran  high.  Comcomly  remon- 


24  The  Fur  Traders 

strated  with  them  on  the  hazard  to  which  they  would 
be  exposed.  They  were  resolute,  however,  and 
launched  their  boat,  while  the  wary  chieftain  followed 
at  some  short  distance  in  his  canoe.  Scarce  had  they 
rowed  a  mile,  when  a  wave  broke  over  their  boat  and 
upset  it.  They  were  in  imminent  peril  of  drowning 
when  Comcomly  came  bounding  over  the  waves  in  his 
light  canoe,  and  snatched  them  from  a  watery  grave. 

They  were  taken  on  shore  and  a  fire  made,  after 
which  Comcomly  conducted  them  back  to  his  village. 
Here  everything  was  done  that  could  be  devised  for 
their  entertainment  during  the  three  days  that  they 
were  detained  by  bad  weather.  When  the  storm  had 
moderated  and  the  sea  become  tranquil,  the  one-eyed 
chief  of  the  Chinooks  manned  his  state  canoe,  and 
conducted  his  guests  in  safety  to  the  ship,  where  they 
were  welcomed  with  joy,  for  apprehensions  had  been 
felt  for  their  safety. 

From  the  report  made  by  the  two  exploring  partners, 
it  was  determined  that  Point  George  should  be  the  site 
of  the  trading  house.  Accordingly,  on  the  i2th  of 
April,  the  launch  was  freighted  with  all  the  things 
necessary  for  the  purpose,  and  sixteen  persons  departed 
in  her  to  begin  the  establishment.  The  Tonquin 
shortly  afterwards  made  her  way  through  the  intricate 
channel,  and  came  to  anchor  in  the  little  bay.  She 
was  saluted  with  three  volleys  of  musketry  and  with 
three  cheers  ;  and  the  encampment  was  named 
ASTORIA,  in  honor  of  the  projector  and  supporter  of 
the  enterprise. 

The  part  of  the  cargo  destined  for  the  use  of  Astoria 
was  landed,  and  the  ship  left  free  to  proceed  on  her 
voyage;  for  the  Tonquin  was  to  coast  to  the  north, 
to  trade  for  peltries  at  the  different  harbours,  and  to 


oo 


Astoria  25 

touch  at  Astoria  on  her  return  in  the  autumn.  Mr. 
M'Kay  went  in  her  as  supercargo,  taking  with  him 
Mr.  Lewis  as  ship's  clerk.  On  the  ist  of  June  the 
ship  got  under  way,  and  dropped  down  to  Baker's  Bay, 
where  she  was  detained  for  a  few  days  by  a  head  wind ; 
but  early  in  the  morning  of  the  fifth  stood  out  to  sea 
with  a  fine  breeze  and  swelling  canvas,  and  swept  off 
gaily  on  her  fatal  voyage. 

While  the  Astorians  were  busily  occupied  in  com 
pleting  their  fort,  a  report  was  brought  to  them  by  an 
Indian  that  a  party  of  thirty  white  men  had  appeared 
on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia  and  were  actually  build 
ing  houses  at  the  second  rapids.  The  Northwest  Com 
pany  had  already  established  posts  to  the  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  it  was  now  evident  that  they 
meant  to  seize  upon  the  upper  part  of  the  river  and 
forestall  the  American  Fur  Company  in  the  surround 
ing  trade.  As  a  counter-check  to  this  post,  Mr.  David 
Stuart  set  out  with  eight  men  and  a  small  assortment 
of  goods  to  establish  himself  on  the  Spokane  River,  in 
a  neighbourhood  abounding  with  beaver. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  LOSS  OF  THE    "  TONQUIN  " 

WE  have  already  stated  that  the  Tonquin  set  sail 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river  on  the  5th  of  June. 
The  whole  number  of  persons  on  board  amounted  to 
twenty-three.  In  one  of  the  outer  bays  they  picked 
up,  from  a  fishing  canoe,  an  Indian  named  Lamazee, 
who  knew  something  of  the  language  of  the  various 
tribes  along  the  coast,  and  who  agreed  to  accompany 
them  as  interpreter. 

Steering  to  the  north,  Captain  Thorn  arrived  in  a  few 
days  at  Vancouver  Island,  and  anchored  in  the  har 
bour  of  Neweetee,  very  much  against  the  advice  of  his 
Indian  interpreter,  who  warned  him  against  the  natives 
of  this  part  of  the  coast.  Mr.  M'Kay,  accompanied  by 
a  few  of  the  men,  went  on  shore  to  a  large  village  to 
visit  the  chief  of  the  surrounding  territory,  six  of  the 
natives  remaining  on  board  as  hostages.  He  was  re 
ceived  with  great  professions  of  friendship,  entertained 
hospitably,  and  a  couch  of  sea-otter  skins  was  prepared 
for  him  in  the  dwelling  of  the  chieftain,  where  he  was 
prevailed  upon  to  pass  the  night. 

In  the  morning,  before  Mr.  M'Kay  had  returned  to 
the  ship,  great  numbers  of  the  natives  came  off  in  their 
canoes  to  trade,  headed  by  two  sons  of  Wicananish. 
As  there  was  every  appearance  of  a  brisk  trade,  Captain 
Thorn  did  not  wait  for  the  return  of  Mr.  M'Kay,  but 

26 


The  Loss  of  the   Tonquin  27 

spread  his  wares  upon  deck,  making  a  tempting  display 
of  blankets,  cloths,  knives,  beads,  and  fish-hooks,  ex 
pecting  a  prompt  and  profitable  sale.  The  Indians, 
however,  were  not  so  eager  and  simple  as  he  had  sup 
posed,  having  learned  the  art  of  bargaining  and  the 
value  of  merchandise  from  the  casual  traders  along  the 
coast.  When  Captain  Thorn  made  what  he  considered 
a  liberal  offer  for  an  otter-skin,  one  wily  old  Indian 
treated  it  with  scorn,  and  asked  more  than  double. 
His  comrades  all  took  their  cue  from  him,  and  not  an 
otter-skin  was  to  be  had  at  a  reasonable  rate. 

The  old  fellow,  however,  overshot  his  mark,  and 
mistook  the  character  of  the  man  he  was  treating  with. 
Thorn  was  a  plain,  straightforward  sailor,  who  never 
had  two  minds  nor  two  prices  in  his  dealings.  The 
cunning  old  Indian  followed  him  to  and  fro,  as  he 
paced  up  and  down  the  deck  in  sullen  silence,  holding 
out  a  sea-otter  skin  to  him  at  every  turn,  and  pestering 
him  to  trade.  Finding  other  means  unavailing,  he 
suddenly  changed  his  tone,  and  began  to  jeer  and  ban 
ter  him  upon  the  mean  prices  he  offered.  This  was  too 
much  for  the  patience  of  the  Captain,  who,  turning 
suddenly  upon  his  persecutor,  snatched  the  proffered 
otter-skin  from  his  hands,  rubbed  it  in  his  face,  and 
dismissed  him  over  the  side  of  the  ship  with  no  very 
complimentary  application  to  accelerate  his  exit.  He 
then  kicked  the  peltries  to  the  right  and  left  about  the 
deck,  and  soon  cleared  the  ship  of  all  natives. 

When  Mr.  M'Kay  returned  on  board,  the  interpreter 
related  what  had  passed,  and  begged  him  to  prevail 
upon  the  Captain  to  make  sail,  as,  from  his  knowledge 
of  the  temper  and  pride  of  the  people  of  the  place,  he 
was  sure  they  would  resent  the  indignity  offered  to  one 
of  their  chiefs.  The  Captain  made  light  of  his  counsels, 


28  The  Fur  Traders 

and  pointed  to  his  cannon  and  firearms  as  sufficient 
safeguard  against  naked  savages.  The  day  passed 
away  without  any  signs  of  hostility,  and  at  night  the 
Captain  retired  as  usual  to  his  cabin,  taking  no  more 
than  the  usual  precautions. 

On  the  following  morning,  at  daybreak,  while  the 
Captain  and  Mr.  M'Kay  were  yet  asleep,  a  canoe  came 
alongside  in  which  were  twenty  Indians.  They  were 
unarmed,  their  aspect  and  demeanour  friendly,  and  they 
held  up  otter-skins,  and  made  signs  indicative  of  a  wish 
to  trade.  The  officer  of  the  watch,  perceiving  those  in 
the  canoe  to  be  without  weapons,  and  having  received 
no  orders  to  the  contrary,  readily  permitted  them  to 
mount  the  deck.  Another  canoe  soon  followed,  the 
crew  of  which  was  likewise  admitted;  and  another, 
until  Indians  were  soon  clambering  into  the  vessel  on 
all  sides. 

By  the  time  Captain  Thorn  and  Mr.  M'Kay  came  on 
deck,  it  was  thronged  with  Indians,  and  they  noticed 
that  many  of  the  natives  wore  short  mantles  of  skins, 
and  doubtless  were  secretly  armed.  Mr.  M'Kay  urged 
the  Captain  to  clear  the  ship  and  get  under  way.  He 
again  made  light  of  the  advice;  but  the  swarm  of 
canoes  about  the  ship,  and  the  numbers  still  putting 
off  from  shore,  at  length  awakened  his  distrust,  and  he 
ordered  some  of  the  crew  to  weigh  anchor,  while  some 
were  sent  aloft  to  make  sail. 

The  Indians  now  offered  to  trade  with  the  Captain  on 
his  own  terms,  buying  knives  chiefly,  each  one  giving 
place  to  another  as  soon  as  he  was  supplied ;  until,  by 
degrees,  they  were  scattered  about  the  whole  deck,  all 
with  weapons. 

The  anchor  was  now  nearly  up,  the  sails  were  loose, 
and  the  Captain,  in  a  loud  and  peremptory  tone,  ordered 


The  Loss  of  the   Tonquin  29 

the  ship  to  be  cleared.  In  an  instant,  a  signal  yell  was 
given;  knives  and  war-clubs  were  brandished  in  every 
direction,  and  the  savages  rushed  upon  their  marked 
victims. 

Mr.  Lewis,  the  ship's  clerk,  was  leaning,  with  folded 
arms,  over  a  bale  of  blankets,  engaged  in  bargaining, 
when  he  received  a  deadly  stab  in  the  back,  and  fell 
down  the  companionway.  Mr.  M'Kay,  who  was 
seated  on  the  taffrail,  sprang  on  his  feet,  but  was  in 
stantly  knocked  down  with  a  war-club  and  flung  back 
wards  into  the  sea,  where  he  was  despatched  by  the 
women  in  the  canoes. 

In  the  meantime  Captain  Thorn  made  desperate  fight 
against  fearful  odds.  Shewish,  the  young  chief  in  com 
mand,  singled  him  out  as  his  peculiar  prey,  and  rushed 
upon  him  at  the  first  outbreak.  The  Captain  had 
barely  time  to  draw  a  clasp-knife,  with  one  blow  of 
which  he  laid  the  young  savage  dead  at  his  feet.  Sev 
eral  of  the  stoutest  followers  of  Shewish  now  set  upon 
him.  He  defended  himself  vigorously,  dealing  crippling 
blows  to  right  and  left,  and  strewing  the  quarter-deck 
with  the  slain  and  wounded.  His  object  was  to  fight 
his  way  to  the  cabin,  where  there  were  firearms;  but 
he  was  hemmed  in  with  foes,  covered  with  wounds, 
and  faint  with  loss  of  blood.  For  an  instant  he  leaned 
upon  the  tiller  wheel,  when  a  blow  from  behind  felled 
him  to  the  deck,  where  he  was  despatched  with  knives 
and  thrown  overboard. 

While  this  was  transacting  upon  the  quarter-deck,  a 
chance-medley  fight  was  going  on  throughout  the  ship. 
The  crew  fought  desperately  with  whatever  weapon 
they  could  seize,  but  they  were  soon  overpowered  by 
numbers,  and  mercilessly  butchered. 

As  to  the  seven  who  had  been  sent  aloft  to  make  sail, 


30  The  Fur  Traders 

being  destitute  of  weapons,  they  let  themselves  down 
by  the  running  rigging,  in  hopes  of  getting  between 
decks.  One  fell  in  the  attempt;  another  received  a 
death-blow  in  the  back;  a  third,  Stephen  Weekes,  the 
armourer,  was  mortally  wounded  as  he  was  getting 
down  the  hatchway. 

The  remaining  four  made  good  their  retreat  into  the 
cabin,  where  they  found  Mr.  Lewis,  still  alive,  though 
mortally  wounded.  Barricading  the  cabin  door,  they 
broke  holes  through  the  companionway,  and,  with  the 
muskets  and  ammunition  which  were  at  hand,  opened 
a  brisk  fire  that  soon  cleared  the  deck;  then,  sallying 
forth,  they  discharged  some  of  the  deck  guns,  which 
did  great  execution  among  the  canoes,  and  drove 
all  the  savages  to  shore. 

The  remainder  of  that  day  and  night  passed  away 
without  any  further  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  natives. 
When  the  day  dawned,  the  Tonquin  still  lay  at  anchor 
in  the  bay,  her  sails  all  loose  and  flapping  in  the  wind, 
and  no  one  apparently  on  board  of  her.  After  a  time, 
some  of  the  canoes  ventured  forth  to  reconnoitre,  pad 
dling  about  her  cautiously  at  a  distance.  At  length 
one  man  made  his  appearance  on  the  deck,  and  was 
recognised  by  the  interpreter,  who  had  taken  refuge 
with  the  Indians,  as  Mr.  Lewis.  He  made  friendly 
signs,  and  invited  them  on  board.  It  was  long  before 
they  ventured  to  comply.  Those  who  mounted  the 
deck  met  with  no  opposition ;  no  one  was  to  be  seen  on 
board;  for  Mr.  Lewis,  after  inviting  them,  had  disap 
peared.  Other  canoes  now  pressed  forward  to  board 
the  prize;  the  decks  were  soon  crowded,  and  the  sides 
covered  with  clambering  savages,  all  intent  on  plunder. 
In  the  midst  of  their  eagerness  and  exultation,  the  ship 
blew  up  with  a  tremendous  explosion.  Arms,  legs,  and 


The  Loss  of  the   Tonquin  31 

mutilated  bodies  were  blown  into  the  air,  and  dreadful 
havoc  was  made  in  the  surrounding  canoes.  The  in 
terpreter  was  in  the  main-chains  at  the  time  of  the 
explosion,  and  was  thrown  unhurt  into  the  water, 
where  he  succeeded  in  getting  into  one  of  the  canoes. 
The  ship  had  disappeared,  but  the  bay  was  covered 
with  fragments  of  the  wreck,  with  shattered  canoes, 
and  Indians  swimming  for  their  lives,  or  struggling  in 
the  agonies  of  death ;  while  those  who  had  escaped  the 
danger  remained  aghast  and  stupefied,  or  made  with 
frantic  panic  for  the  shore. 

The  inhabitants  of  Neweetee  were  overhelmed  with 
consternation  at  this  astounding  calamity,  which  had 
burst  upon  them  in  the  very  moment  of  triumph.  The 
warriors  sat  mute  and  mournful,  while  the  women  filled 
the  air  with  loud  lamentations.  Their  weeping  and 
wailing,  however,  was  suddenly  changed  into  yells  of 
fury  at  the  sight  of  four  unfortunate  white  men, 
brought  captive  into  the  village.  They  had  been 
driven  on  shore  in  one  of  the  ship's  boats,  and  had 
been  taken  at  some  distance  along  the  coast. 

They  told  the  interpreter  that  after  they  had  beaten 
off  the  enemy  and  cleared  the  ship,  Lewis  advised  that 
they  should  slip  the  cable  and  endeavour  to  get  to  sea. 
They  declined  to  take  his  advice,  alleging  that  the 
wind  set  too  strongly  into  the  bay  and  would  drive 
them  on  shore.  They  resolved,  as  soon  as  it  was 
dark,  to  put  off  quietly  in  the  ship's  boat,  which  they 
would  be  able  to  do  unperceived,  and  to  coast  along 
back  to  Astoria.  They  put  their  resolution  into  effect; 
but  I^ewis  refused  to  accompany  them,  being  disabled 
by  his  wound,  hopeless  of  escape,  and  determined  on  a 
terrible  revenge.  He  declared  his  intention  to  re 
main  on  board  of  the  ship  until  daylight,  to  decoy  as 


32  The  Fur  Traders 

many  of  the  savages  on  board  as  possible,  then  to  set 
fire  to  the  magazine,  in  which  was  stored  more  than 
four  tons  of  powder,  and  terminate  his  life  by  a  signal 
act  of  vengeance.  How  well  he  succeeded  has  been 
shown.  His  companions  bade  him  a  melancholy  adieu, 
and  set  off  on  their  precarious  expedition.  They  strove 
with  might  and  main  to  get  out  of  the  bay,  but  found 
it  impossible  to  weather  a  point  of  land,  and  were  at 
length  compelled  to  take  shelter  in  a  small  cove,  where 
they  hoped  to  remain  concealed  until  the  wind  should 
be  more  favourable.  Exhausted  by  fatigue  and  watch 
ing,  they  fell  into  a  sound  sleep,  and  in  that  state  were 
surprised  by  the  savages.  Better  had  it  been  for  those 
unfortunate  men  had  they  remained  with  Lewis,  and 
shared  his  heroic  death:  as  it  was,  they  perished  in  a 
more  painful  and  protracted  manner,  being  sacrificed 
by  the  natives  to  the  spirits  of  their  friends  with  all  the 
lingering  tortures  of  savage  cruelty.  Some  time  after 
their  death,  the  interpreter,  who  had  remained  a  kind 
of  prisoner  at  large,  effected  his  escape,  and  brought 
these  tragic  tidings  to  Astoria. 

Dismay  filled  the  hearts  of  the  Astorians — a  mere 
handful  of  men  on  a  savage  coast,  amid  tribes  already 
believed  to  be  in  a  conspiracy  against  them.  In  this 
juncture  Mr.  M'Dougal  assembled  several  chieftains 
and  said,  "The  white  men  among  you  are  few  in  num 
ber,  but  they  are  mighty  in  medicine.  See  here !  In 
this  bottle  I  hold  the  smallpox  safely  corked  up;  I 
have  but  to  draw  the  cork  and  let  loose  the  pestilence, 
to  sweep  man,  woman,  and  child  from  the  face  of  the 
earth." 

The  chiefs,  struck  with  horror  and  alarm,  implored 
him  not  to  uncork  the  bottle,  since  they  and  all  their 
people  were  firm  friends  of  the  white  men,  and  would 


The  Loss  of  the   Tonquin  33 

always  remain  so;  but,  should  the  smallpox  be  once 
let  out,  it  would  sweep  off  the  good  as  well  as  the  bad ; 
and  surely  he  would  not  be  so  unjust  as  to  punish  his 
friends  for  crimes  committed  by  his  enemies ! 

Mr.  M'Dougal  pretended  to  be  convinced  by  their 
reasoning,  and  assured  them  that,  so  long  as  the  white 
people  should  be  unmolested,  and  the  conduct  of  their 
Indian  neighbours  friendly  and  hospitable,  the  phial  of 
wrath  should  remain  sealed  up ;  but,  on  the  least  hos 
tility,  the  fateful  cork  should  be  drawn. 

After  this  danger  was  averted,  the  year  wore  on  its 
uneventful  course.  In  October  the  southerly  winds 
brought  with  them  frequent  rain.  The  Indians  began 
to  retire  to  their  winter  quarters  farther  inland,  and, 
by  their  departure,  compelled  the  colonists  to  forage 
more  widely.  Still  the  little  band  of  adventurers  kept 
up  their  spirits,  and  looked  forward  to  the  time  when 
they  should  be  reinforced  by  the  party  under  Mr.  Hunt, 
which  was  to  come  to  them  across  the  Rocky  Mount 
ains.  The  rain,  which  had  poured  down  almost  in 
cessantly  since  the  ist  of  October,  cleared  up  toward 
the  evening  of  the  3ist  of  December,  and  the  morn 
ing  of  the  ist  of  January,  1812,  ushered  in  a  day  of 
sunshine. 

On  the  present  occasion,  the  partners  endeavoured  to 
celebrate  the  new  year  with  some  effect.  At  sunrise 
the  drums  beat  to  arms  and  the  colours  were  hoisted 
with  three  rounds  of  small  arms  and  three  discharges  of 
cannon.  The  day  was  devoted  to  games  of  agility  and 
strength,  and  other  amusements;  and  grog  was  tem 
perately  distributed,  together  with  bread,  butter,  and 
cheese.  The  best  dinner  their  circumstances  could 
afford  was  served  up  at  midday.  At  sunset  the  colours 
were  lowered,  with  another  discharge  of  artillery.  The 


34  The  Fur  Traders 

night  was  spent  in  dancing;  and,  though  there  was  a 
lack  of  female  partners  to  excite  their  gallantry,  the 
voyageurs  kept  up  the  ball  with  true  French  spirit, 
until  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  So  passed  the  new 
year  festival  of  1812  at  the  infant  colony  of  Astoria. 


CHAPTER  VI 

UP  THE   MISSOURI 

THE  conduct  of  the  overland  expedition  had  been 
assigned  to  Mr.  W.  P.  Hunt,  who  was  ultimately 
to  be  at  the  head  of  the  establishment  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia.  Another  of  the  partners,  Mr.  Donald 
M'Kenzie,  was  associated  with  Mr.  Hunt  in  the  ex 
pedition,  and  excelled  in  those  points  in  which  the 
other  was  deficient,  for  he  had  been  ten  years  in  the 
interior,  in  the  service  of  the  Northwest  Company. 

Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companion  gathered  the  nucleus 
of  their  party  from  the  voyageurs  that  frequented 
Montreal;  and,  by  the  end  of  July,  they  set  out  for 
Mackinac,  and  thence  made  their  way  to  St.  Louis, 
landing  there  on  the  3d  of  September,  1810.  Mr. 
Hunt's  arrival  there,  and  the  appearance  of  a  new  fur 
company,  with  ample  funds  at  its  command,  produced  a 
strong  sensation  among  the  Indian  traders  of  the  place, 
and  awakened  the  keen  jealousy  of  the  Missouri  Com 
pany.  In  consequence  it  took  him  some  weeks  to 
complete  his  preparations — a  delay  which,  added  to 
those  at  Montreal  and  Mackinac,  threw  him  much  be 
hind  his  calculations,  and  made  it  impossible  for  him 
to  complete  his  voyage  up  the  Missouri  in  that  year. 

To  avoid  the  expense  of  wintering  in  St.  Louis  with 
his  large  party,  Mr.  Hunt  took  his  departure  from  St. 
Louis  on  the  2ist  of  October,  his  party  being  distributed 

35 


36  The  Fur  Traders 

in  three  boats — two  of  them  barges  and  the  third  a 
keel  boat.  By  much  persevering  labour  the  party 
made  its  way  about  450  miles  up  the  Missouri,  and  on 
the  1 6th  of  November  went  into  winter  quarters  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Nadowa  River  (St.  Joseph,  Mo.).  The 
halt  was  made  none  too  soon,  for  the  river  closed  with 
ice  two  days  afterwards.  The  party  was  now  in  a 
country  abounding  with  deer  and  wild  turkey,  so  that 
there  was  no  stint  of  provisions  during  the  months  of 
delay  and  confinement. 

Mr.  Hunt  availed  himself  of  this  interval  to  return 
to  St.  Louis,  for  he  wished  to  procure  an  interpreter 
acquainted  with  the  language  of  the  Sioux,  as  he  ap 
prehended  difficulties  in  passing  through  the  country 
of  that  nation.  He  felt  the  necessity,  also,  of  having 
a  greater  number  of  hunters,  not  merely  to  keep  up  a 
supply  of  provisions  throughout  their  long  and  arduous 
expedition,  but  also  as  a  protection  and  defence  in  case 
of  Indian  hostilities. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Hunt's  arrival  at  St.  Louis  (Janu 
ary  20,  1811)  Mr.  Manuel  Lisa  (a  partner  of  the  Mis 
souri  Company)  was  fitting  out  an  expedition  to  go  in 
quest  of  Mr.  Andrew  Henry,  a  partner  of  that  com 
pany,  who  had  been  dislodged  by  the  Blackfeet  from 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Missouri,  and  had  disappeared. 
There  being  thus  two  expeditions  on  foot  at  the  same 
moment,  an  unusual  demand  was  occasioned  for  hunt 
ers  and  voyageurs,  who  accordingly  stipulated  for  high 
terms. 

The  greatest  difficulty,  however,  was  to  get  the  Sioux 
interpreter,  for  there  was  but  one  man  in  St.  Louis 
fitted  for  the  purpose.  He  was  Pierre  Dorion,  the  son 
of  Dorion,  the  French  interpreter,  who  accompanied 
Lewis  and  Clark  in  their  famous  exploring  expedition 


Up  the  Missouri  37 

across  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Pierre  had  been  em 
ployed  by  the  Missouri  Fur  Company  during  the 
preceding  year,  and  had  proved  himself  faithful  and 
serviceable.  His  love  of  liquor,  however,  had  run 
him  deeply  in  debt  to  the  company  in  places  where 
whiskey  was  ten  dollars  a  quart.  This  item  still  re 
mained  unsettled  and  was  a  matter  of  furious  dispute. 

The  moment  it  was  discovered  by  Mr.  I^isa  that 
Pierre  Dorion  was  in  treaty  with  the  new  and  rival 
association,  he  endeavoured,  by  threats  as  well  as 
promises,  to  prevent  his  engaging  in  their  service. 
His  promises  might,  perhaps,  have  prevailed;  but  his 
threats,  which  related  to  the  whiskey  debt,  only  served 
to  drive  Pierre  into  the  opposite  ranks.  So  Pierre 
took  service  with  Mr.  Hunt,  and  left  St.  L/ouis  with 
his  fellow-recruits  on  March  12,  1811,  for  the  quarters 
at  Nadowa,  taking  with  him  his  squaw  and  two 
children. 

Among  the  various  persons  who  were  to  proceed  up 
the  Missouri  with  Mr.  Hunt  were  two  scientific  gentle 
men  :  one,  Mr.  John  Bradbury,  who  had  been  sent  out 
by  the  L,innsean  Society  of  Liverpool  to  make  a  col 
lection  of  American  plants;  the  other,  a  Mr.  Nuttall, 
likewise  an  Englishman,  who  has  since  made  himself 
known  as  the  author  of  Travels  in  Arkansas,  and  a 
work  on  the  Genera  of  American  Plants.  Mr.  Hunt 
had  offered  them  the  protection  and  facilities  of  his 
party,  in  their  scientific  researches  up  the  Missouri. 
They  put  their  trunks  on  board  of  the  boat,  but  re 
mained  at  St.  Ivouis  until  the  next  day,  for  the  arrival 
of  the  post,  intending  to  join  the  expedition  at  St. 
Charles,  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Missouri. 

The  same  evening,  however,  they  learned  that  a  writ 


38  The  Fur  Traders 

had  been  issued  against  Pierre  Dor  ion  for  his  whiskey 
debt  by  Mr.  Lisa,  as  agent  of  the  Missouri  Company, 
and  that  it  was  the  intention  to  entrap  the  mongrel 
linguist  on  his  arrival  at  St.  Charles.  Upon  hearing 
this,  Mr.  Bradbury  and  Mr.  Nuttall  set  off  a  little  after 
midnight,  by  land,  got  ahead  of  the  boat  as  it  was 
iscending  the  Missouri,  and,  before  its  arrival  at  St. 
Charles,  gave  Pierre  Dorion  warning  of  the  legal  trap 
prepared  to  ensnare  him.  The  knowing  Pierre  imme 
diately  landed  and  took  to  the  woods,  followed  by  his 
squaw,  laden  with  their  papooses,  and  a  large  bundle 
containing  their  most  precious  effects,  promising  to  re 
join  the  party  some  distance  above  St.  Charles.  There 
seemed  little  dependence  to  be  placed  upon  the  pro 
mises  of  a  loose  adventurer  who  had  already  received 
two-thirds  of  his  year's  pay ;  but  it  was  hoped  his  pique 
against  his  old  employers  would  render  him  faithful  to 
his  new  ones. 

The  party  reached  St.  Charles  in  the  afternoon,  but 
the  harpies  of  the  law  looked  in  vain  for  their  expected 
prey.  The  boats  resumed  their  course  on  the  following 
morning  and  had  not  proceeded  far  when  Pierre  Dorion 
made  his  appearance  on  the  shore.  He  was  gladly 
taken  on  board,  but  he  came  without  his  squaw.  They 
had  quarrelled  in  the  night.  Pierre  Dorion  passed  a 
solitary  day  and  anxious  night,  bitterly  regretting  his 
indiscretion  in  having  exercised  his  conjugal  author 
ity  so  near  home.  Before  daybreak,  however,  a  well- 
known  voice  reached  his  ears  from  the  opposite  shore. 
It  was  his  repentant  spouse,  who  had  been  wandering 
the  woods  all  night  in  quest  of  the  party,  and  had  at 
length  descried  it  by  its  fires.  A  boat  was  despatched 
for  her  and  the  interesting  family  was  once  more  united. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  the  boats  touched 


Up  the  Missouri  39 

at  Charette,  where  they  met  Daniel  Boone,  the  re 
nowned  patriarch  of  Kentucky,  who  had  kept  in  the 
advance  of  civilisation  and  on  the  borders  of  the 
wilderness,  still  leading  a  hunter's  life,  though  now  in 
his  seventy-seventh  year.  He  had  but  recently  re 
turned  from  a  hunting  and  trapping  expedition,  and 
had  brought  nearly  sixty  beaver  skins  as  trophies  of 
his  skill.  The  old  man  was  still  erect  in  form,  strong 
in  limb,  and  unflinching  in  spirit,  and  flourished 
several  years  after  this  meeting  in  a  vigorous  old  age. 

The  next  morning,  early,  as  the  party  were  yet  en 
camped  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  stream,  they  were 
visited  by  another  of  these  heroes  of  the  wilderness, 
one  John  Colter,  who  had  accompanied  L,ewis  and 
Clark  in  their  memorable  expedition.  He  had  recently 
come  from  the  head  waters  of  the  Missouri  in  a  small 
canoe,  a  distance  of  three  thousand  miles.  Yet,  with 
all  the  perils  and  terrors  of  his  adventurer  fresh  in  his 
recollection,  he  had  a  strong  impulse  to  join  the  present 
band,  and  was  restrained  by  nothing  but  the  circum 
stance  of  his  recent  marriage.  All  the  morning  he 
kept  with  them;  but,  after  a  march  of  several  miles, 
he  took  a  reluctant  leave  of  the  travellers  and  turned 
his  face  homeward. 

Nothing  else  of  interest  transpired  on  the  journey  up 
the  river,  and  at  length  Mr.  Hunt,  with  his  reinforce 
ments,  reached  the  station  near  the  Nadowa  River, 
where  the  main  body  of  the  expedition  had  been  quar 
tered  during  the  winter. 

The  party  now  consisted  of  nearly  sixty  persons:  of 
whom  five  were  partners,  one,  John  Reed,  was  a  clerk; 
forty  were  Canadian  voyageurs,  and  there  were  sev 
eral  hunters.  They  embarked  in  four  boats,  one  of 
which  was  of  a  large  size,  mounting  a  swivel  and  two 


40  The  Fur  Traders 

howitzers.  All  were  furnished  with  masts  and  sails, 
to  be  used  when  the  wind  was  sufficiently  favourable 
and  strong  to  overpower  the  current  of  the  river. 

When  the  severe  rains  subsided  that  had  already 
delayed  him  so  long,  Mr.  Hunt  broke  winter  quarters 
and,  on  April  2ist,  resumed  the  voyage  up  the  Mis 
souri.  On  the  loth  of  May  the  party  passed  the  village 
of  the  Omahas,  of  whose  former  chief,  Blackbird,  such 
savage  and  romantic  stories  were  told.  The  staff  still 
remained  over  his  grave  from  which  fluttered  the  ban 
ner  of  that  chieftain  and  the  scalps  he  had  taken  in 
battle;  and  the  custom  of  placing  food  from  time  to 
time  on  the  mound,  for  the  use  of  the  dead,  was  still 
observed  by  the  Omahas. 

As  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party  were  now  approaching 
the  country  of  the  formidable  Sioux,  they  confined 
themselves,  in  hunting,  to  the  islands,  which  some 
times  extend  to  considerable  length.  After  a  sumptu 
ous  hunter's  repast  on  one  of  them,  they  were  pulling 
along  the  river-bank  when  they  descried  a  canoe 
containing  two  white  men.  They  proved  to  be  two 
trappers,  Benjamin  Jones  and  Alexander  Carson,  who 
had  been  hunting  and  trapping  for  two  years  past  near 
the  head  of  the  Missouri. 

The  acquisition  of  two  such  hardy  and  experienced 
men  was  peculiarly  desirable  at  the  moment.  They 
needed  little  persuasion,  and  readily  turned  their  faces 
again  towards  the  mountains  and  the  Pacific.  Four 
days  later  (May  26th)  they  picked  up  three  other 
hunters,  Edward  Robinson,  John  Hoback,  and  Jacob 
Rezner,  who  had  been  in  the  service  of  the  Missouri 
Company  under  Mr.  Henry,  and  were  returning  to 
their  homes  in  Kentucky.  But  the  sight  of  a  power 
ful  party  of  traders,  trappers,  hunters,  and  voyageurs 


Up  the  Missouri  41 

proved  irresistible.  Their  families  and  all  the  charms 
of  green  Kentucky,  vanished  and  they  enlisted  in  the 
enterprise  on  similar  terms  with  some  of  the  other 
hunters:  the  company  to  fit  them  out  and  keep  them 
supplied  with  the  requisite  equipment  and  munitions, 
and  they  to  yield  one-half  of  the  produce  of  their  hunt 
ing  and  trapping. 

As  the  boats  made  their  way  up  the  stream  bordered 
by  a  land  of  danger,  the  voyageurs  regarded  with  a 
distrustful  eye  the  boundless  waste  extending  on  each 
side.  The  very  name  of  Sioux  became  a  watchword 
of  terror.  Not  an  animal  could  appear  on  the  hills  but 
the  boats  resounded  from  stem  to  stern  with,  "  Voilales 
Sioux  !  voila  les  Sioux  /  ' ' 

On  the  morning  of  the  3ist  of  May,  as  the  travellers 
were  breakfasting,  the  usual  alarm  was  given,  but  with 
more  reason,  for  two  Sioux  Indians  actually  did  appear 
on  the  opposite  bank,  and  harangued  them  in  a  loud 
voice.  Then  one  of  them  went  scouring  across  the 
heights  while  Mr.  Hunt  held  some  conference  with 
the  other,  ascertaining  from  him  that  they  were  scouts 
of  a  large  war  party  which  had  been  waiting  eleven 
days  to  oppose  Mr.  Hunt's  progress  up  the  river. 

The  party  braced  its  spirits  for  the  encounter  and 
pulled  resolutely  up  the  stream.  An  island  intervened 
for  some  time  between  them  and  the  opposite  bank; 
but,  on  clearing  the  upper  end  of  it,  they  came  in  full 
view  of  the  other  shore.  Thither  the  savages  were 
rushing  in  great  numbers,  all  armed,  painted,  and 
decorated  for  battle.  To  attempt  to  elude  them  was 
out  of  the  question,  so  the  fighting  alternative  was  in 
stantly  adopted :  the  arms  were  examined,  the  howitzers 
loaded  with  bullets,  and  the  whole  party  pulled  across 
the  river.  ' '  Parbleu  !  this  is  a  sad  scrape  we  are  in, 


42  The  Fur  Traders 

brother!  "  one  voyageur  would  mutter  ruefully  to  the 
next  oarsman.  "Aye,  aye!  we  are  not  going  to  a 
wedding,  my  friend!  " 

When  the  boats  arrived  within  rifle-shot,  the  hunters 
seized  their  weapons,  and  prepared  for  action.  As  they 
rose  to  fire,  a  confusion  took  place  among  the  savages. 
They  displayed  their  buffalo  robes,  raised  them  with 
both  hands,  and  then  spread  them  before  them  on  the 
ground  as  an  invitation  to  a  parley.  Immediately 
about  a  dozen  of  the  principal  warriors,  separating 
from  the  rest,  descended  to  the  edge  of  the  river, 
lighted  a  fire,  seated  themselves  in  a  semicircle  round 
it,  and,  displaying  the  calumet,  invited  the  party  to 
land.  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  drew  near  with 
out  hesitation,  and  took  their  seats  on  the  sand  so  as 
to  complete  the  circle ;  while  the  band  of  warriors  who 
lined  the  banks  above  stood  looking  down  in  silent 
groups. 

The  pipe  of  peace  was  now  brought  forward;  the 
pipe-bearer  stepped  within  the  circle,  held  the  pipe  to 
wards  the  sun,  then  towards  the  different  points  of  the 
compass,  after  which  he  handed  it  to  the  principal 
chief.  The  latter  smoked  a  few  whiffs,  then,  holding 
the  bowl  of  the  pipe  in  his  hand,  offered  the  stem  to 
Mr.  Hunt,  and  to  each  one  successively  in  the  circle. 
Now  that  all  was  good  faith  and  amity,  Mr.  Hunt  in 
formed  the  Sioux  that  the  real  object  of  the  expedition 
was  not  to  trade  with  any  of  the  tribes  up  the  river, 
but  to  cross  the  mountains  to  the  great  salt  lake  in  the 
west,  in  search  of  some  of  their  brothers,  whom  they 
had  not  seen  for  eleven  months.  He  had  heard  of  the 
intention  of  the  Sioux  to  oppose  his  passage,  and  was 
prepared,  as  they  might  see,  to  effect  it  at  all  hazards; 
nevertheless,  his  feelings  towards  the  Sioux  were 


Up  the  Missouri  43 

friendly,   in  proof  of  which  he  had  brought  them  a 
present  of  tobacco  and  corn. 

The  sight  of  these  presents  and  the  resolute  conduct 
of  the  white  men  mollified  the  chieftain.  In  his  reply, 
he  stated  that  the  object  of  their  hostile  assemblage  had 
been  merely  to  prevent  supplies  of  arms  and  ammuni 
tion  from  going  to  the  Aricaras,  Mandans,  and  Minne- 
tarees,  with  whom  they  were  at  war.  Being  now 
convinced  that  the  party  were  carrying  no  supplies  of 
the  kind,  but  merely  proceeding  in  quest  of  their 
brothers  beyond  the  mountains,  they  would  not  impede 
them  in  their  voyage.  All  then  arose,  shook  hands, 
and  parted.  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  re-em 
barked,  and  the  boats  proceeded  on  their  course  un 
molested. 

On  the  second  morning,  at  an  early  hour,  they  de 
scried  two  Indians  standing  on  a  high  bank  of  the 
river,  waving  and  spreading  their  buffalo  robes  in  signs 
of  amity.  The  savages,  however,  showed  evident 
symptoms  of  alarm  when  approached,  spreading  out 
their  arms  according  to  their  mode  of  supplicating 
clemency ;  nor  were  they  quite  at  ease  until  the  pipe  of 
peace  had  been  smoked.  Mr.  Hunt,  having  been  in 
formed  that  the  tribe  to  which  these  men  belonged  had 
killed  three  white  men  during  the  preceding  summer, 
reproached  them  with  the  crime,  and  demanded  their 
reasons  for  such  savage  hostility.  "We  kill  white 
men, ' '  replied  one  of  the  chiefs,  ' '  because  white  men 
kill  us.  That  very  man,"  added  he,  pointing  to  Car 
son,  one  of  the  new  recruits,  "killed  one  of  our 
brothers  last  summer.  The  three  white  men  were 
slain  to  avenge  his  death." 

Carson  admitted  that,  being  with  a  party  of  Aricaras 
on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri,  and  seeing  a  war  party 


44  The  Fur  Traders 

of  Sioux  on  the  opposite  side,  he  had  fired  a  random 
shot,  without  much  expectation  of  effect,  for  the  river 
was  fully  half  a  mile  in  breadth.  Unluckily  it  brought 
down  a  Sioux  warrior,  for  whose  wanton  destruction 
threefold  vengeance  had  been  taken. 

The  two  chiefs,  having  smoked  their  pipe  of  peace 
and  received  a  few  presents,  departed  well  satisfied. 
In  a  little  while  two  others  appeared  on  horseback,  and 
rode  up  abreast  of  the  boats.  They  had  seen  the  pre 
sents  given  to  their  comrades,  and  came  after  the  boats 
to  ask  for  more.  Being  somewhat  peremptory  and  in 
solent  in  their  demands,  Mr.  Hunt  gave  them  a  flat 
refusal,  and  threatened,  if  they  or  any  of  their  tribe 
followed  him  with  similar  demands,  to  treat  them  as 
enemies.  They  turned  and  rode  off  in  a  furious  pas 
sion.  As  he  was  ignorant  what  force  these  chiefs 
might  have  behind  the  hills,  and  as  it  was  very  possible 
they  might  take  advantage  of  some  pass  of  the  river  to 
attack  the  boats,  Mr.  Hunt  called  all  stragglers  on 
board,  and  arranged  that  he  should  ascend  one  side  of 
the  river,  and  the  three  smaller  boats  the  other.  By 
this  arrangement  each  party  would  command  a  view 
of  the  opposite  heights  above  the  heads  and  out  of 
sight  of  their  companions,  and  could  give  the  alarm 
should  they  perceive  any  Indians  lurking  there. 

About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  Mr.  Hunt  came 
to  where  the  river  was  divided  by  a  long  sand-bar.  He 
kept  up  the  channel  on  his  side  of  the  bar  for  some 
distance,  until  the  water  proved  too  shallow  for  his 
boat.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  return  down  the 
channel,  and  pull  round  the  lower  end  of  the  sand-bar 
into  the  main  stream.  Just  as  he  had  given  orders  to 
this  effect,  two  signal  guns  were  fired  from  the  boats 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  At  the  same  mo- 


Up  the  Missouri  45 

ment,  a  file  of  savage  warriors  was  poured  down  from 
the  overhanging  bank,  and  gathered  on  the  shore  at 
the  lower  end  of  the  bar.  Here  then  was  a  fearful  pre 
dicament.  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  crew  seemed  caught  in 
a  trap.  The  Indians,  to  the  number  of  about  a  hund 
red,  had  already  taken  possession  of  a  point  near 
which  the  boat  would  have  to  pass,  and  others  kept 
pouring  down  the  bank. 

The  hazardous  situation  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  perceived 
by  those  in  the  other  boats,  and  they  hastened  to  his 
assistance.  Their  anxiety  increased,  as  they  saw  his 
party  descending  the  channel  and  dauntlessly  ap 
proaching  the  point  of  danger;  but  it  suddenly  changed 
into  surprise  on  beholding  the  boat  pass  close  by  the 
savage  horde  unmolested,  and  steer  out  safely  into  the 
broad  river. 

The  next  moment  the  whole  band  of  warriors  was  in 
motion.  They  ran  along  the  bank  until  they  were  op 
posite  the  boats,  then,  throwing  by  their  weapons  and 
buffalo  robes,  plunged  into  the  river,  waded  and  swam 
off  to  the  boats,  and  surrounded  them  in  crowds,  seek 
ing  to  shake  hands  with  every  person  on  board;  for 
the  Indians  had  long  since  found  this  to  be  the  white 
man's  token  of  amity,  and  they  carried  it  to  an  extreme. 

All  uneasiness  was  now  at  an  end.  The  Indians 
proved  to  be  a  war  party  of  Aricaras,  Mandans,  and 
Minnetarees,  consisting  of  three  hundred  warriors,  and 
bound  on  a  foray  against  the  Sioux.  Their  war  plans 
were  abandoned  for  the  present,  and  they  determined 
to  return  to  the  Aricara  town,  where  they  hoped  to 
obtain  from  the  white  men  arms  and  ammunition  that 
would  enable  them  to  take  the  field  with  advantage 
over  their  enemies. 

On  the  following  morning  Mr.  Hunt  had  not  pro- 


46  The  Fur  Traders 

ceeded  far  before  the  chief  came  galloping  along  the 
shore  and  made  signs  for  a  parley.  He  said  his  people 
could  not  go  home  satisfied  unless  they  had  something 
to  take  with  them  to  prove  that  they  had  met  with  the 
white  men.  Mr.  Hunt  understood  the  drift  of  the 
speech,  and  made  the  chief  a  present  of  a  cask  of 
powder,  a  bag  of  balls,  and  three  dozen  knives,  with 
which  he  was  highly  pleased.  While  the  chief  was 
receiving  these  presents  an  Indian  came  running  along 
the  shore,  and  announced  that  a  boat,  filled  with  white 
men,  was  coming  up  the  river.  Mr.  Hunt  correctly 
concluded  it  to  be  the  boat  of  Mr.  Manuel  Lisa,  who 
had  been  endeavouring  to  overtake  him ;  and  he  was 
vexed  to  find  that  alert  and  adventurous  trader  upon 
his  heels,  whom  he  hoped  to  have  out-manoeuvered  and 
left  far  behind. 

Mr.  Hunt  perceived  that  it  was  useless  to  attempt 
any  longer  to  evade  his  rival ;  after  proceeding  a  few 
miles  farther,  therefore,  he  came  to  a  halt  and  waited 
for  the  barge  of  Lisa  to  make  its  appearance.  It  came 
sweeping  gently  up  the  river,  manned  by  its  twenty 
stout  oarsmen,  and  armed  with  a  swivel  mounted  at 
the  bow. 

The  meeting  between  the  two  leaders  could  not  be 
very  cordial.  In  truth,  a  general  distrust  prevailed 
throughout  the  party  concerning  Lisa  and  his  inten 
tions.  There  being  now  nothing  more  to  be  appre 
hended  from  the  Sioux,  they  suspected  that  Lisa  would 
take  advantage  of  his  twenty-oared  barge  to  leave  them 
and  get  first  among  the  Aricaras.  As  he  had  traded 
with  those  people  and  possessed  great  influence  over 
them,  it  was  feared  he  might  make  use  of  it  to  impede 
the  business  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party. 

Dorion,  since  the  arrival  of  Lisa,  had  kept  aloof  and 


Up  the  Missouri  47 

regarded  him  with  a  sullen  and  dogged  aspect.  On 
the  third  day  after  their  meeting,  the  two  parties  were 
brought  to  a  halt  by  a  heavy  rain,  and  remained  en 
camped  about  a  hundred  yards  apart.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  I/isa  undertook  to  tamper  with  the  faith  of 
Pierre  Dorion,  and,  inviting  him  on  board  of  his  boat, 
regaled  him  with  his  favourite  whiskey.  When  he 
thought  him  sufficiently  mellowed,  he  proposed  to  him 
to  quit  the  service  of  his  new  employers  and  return  to 
his  old  allegiance.  Finding  him  not  to  be  moved  by 
soft  words,  he  called  to  mind  his  old  debt  to  the  com 
pany,  and  threatened  to  carry  him  off  by  force,  in  pay 
ment  of  it.  The  mention  of  this  debt  always  stirred  up 
the  gall  of  Pierre  Dorion,  and  he  left  the  boat  in  high 
dudgeon. 

Dorion' s  first  step  was  to  visit  the  tent  of  Mr.  Hunt 
and  reveal  the  attempt  that  had  been  made  to  shake 
his  faith.  While  he  was  yet  talking,  L,isa  entered  the 
tent,  under  the  pretext  of  coming  to  borrow  a  towing 
line.  High  words  instantly  ensued  between  him  and 
Dorion,  which  ended  by  the  half-breed's  dealing  him 
a  blow.  lyisa  immediately  rushed  to  his  boat  for  a 
weapon,  while  Dorion  snatched  up  a  pair  of  pistols 
belonging  to  Mr.  Hunt,  and  placed  himself  in  battle 
array.  A  scene  of  uproar  and  hubbub  ensued  that  de 
fies  description.  Mr.  Hunt  acted  as  moderator,  en 
deavouring  to  prevent  a  general  melee;  but  in  the 
midst  of  the  brawl  an  expression  was  made  use  of  by 
I^isa  derogatory  to  his  honour.  In  an  instant  his  tran 
quil  spirit  was  in  a  flame,  and  he  became  as  eager  for 
the  fight  as  any  one  on  the  ground.  By  the  earnest 
efforts  of  men  on  both  sides  the  quarrel  was  brought  to 
a  close  without  bloodshed ;  but  the  two  leaders  sepa 
rated  in  anger,  and  all  personal  intercourse  ceased. 


48  The  Fur  Traders 

On  the  nth  of  June,  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions 
encamped  about  six  miles  below  the  Aricara  village, 
and  Mr.  Lisa  did  the  same,  as  usual  at  no  great  dis 
tance  from  them;  but  he  maintained  the  same  sullen 
reserve  that  had  come  to  mark  their  relations.  All 
hands  embarked  early  next  morning  and  set  forward 
for  the  Indian  village,  which  they  reached  about  ten 
o'clock,  but  landed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
where  they  spread  out  their  baggage  to  dry,  the  recent 
rains  having  been  very  heavy. 

Neither  of  the  leaders  had  spoken  to  the  other  since 
their  quarrel,  and  now  came  the  delicate  point — how 
they  should  make  their  visit  to  the  village.  At  length 
it  was  arranged  that  the  two  parties  should  cross  the 
river  at  the  same  time.  Accordingly,  about  two 
o'clock,  the  large  boat  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  manned,  and 
he  stepped  on  board.  Lisa  at  the  same  time  embarked 
in  his  barge,  the  two  deputations  amounting  to  four 
teen  persons.  They  landed  amidst  a  rabble  crowd,  and 
were  received  on  the  bank  by  the  head  chief,  who  con 
ducted  them  into  the  village  with  grave  courtesy ;  driv 
ing  to  the  right  and  left  the  swarms  of  old  squaws, 
imp-like  boys,  and  vagabond  dogs  with  which  the 
place  abounded.  They  wound  their  way  between  the 
cabins,  which  looked  like  dirt-heaps  huddled  together 
without  any  plan,  and  surrounded  by  old  palisades ;  all 
filthy  in  the  extreme,  and  redolent  of  villainous  smells. 
Arrived  at  the  council  lodge,  they  faced  a  grave  gather 
ing  of  twenty  warriors. 

After  the  solemn  ceremony  of  the  pipe,  and  when  the 
chief  had  delivered  his  address  of  welcome,  Lisa  rose  to 
reply,  and  the  eyes  of  Hunt  and  his  companions  were 
eagerly  turned  upon  him.  He  began  by  the  usual  ex 
pressions  of  friendship,  and  then  proceeded  to  explain 


Up  the  Missouri  49 

the  object  of  his  own  party.  Those  persons,  however, 
said  he,  pointing  to  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions,  are 
of  a  different  party,  and  are  quite  distinct  in  their 
views;  but,  added  he,  though  we  are  separate  parties, 
we  make  but  one  common  cause  when  the  safety  of 
either  is  concerned.  Any  injury  or  insult  offered  to 
them  I  shall  consider  as  done  to  myself,  and  will  resent 
it  accordingly.  I  trust,  therefore,  that  you  will  treat 
them  with  the  same  friendship  that  you  have  always 
manifested  for  me,  doing  everything  in  your  power  to 
serve  them  and  to  help  them  on  their  way.  The 
speech  of  Lisa,  delivered  with  an  air  of  frankness  and 
sincerity,  agreeably  surprised  the  rival  party. 

Mr.  Hunt  then  spoke,  declaring  the  object  of  his 
journey  to  the  great  Salt  Lake  beyond  the  mountains, 
and  that  he  should  want  horses  for  the  purpose,  for 
which  he  was  ready  to  trade,  having  brought  with  him 
plenty  of  goods.  Both  he  and  Lisa  concluded  their 
speeches  by  making  presents  of  tobacco.  The  chief 
tain  in  reply  promised  his  friendship  and  aid  to  the 
newcomers,  and  welcomed  them  to  his  village.  He 
added  that  they  could  readily  supply  Mr.  Hunt  with 
all  the  horses  he  might  want,  since,  if  they  had  not 
enough  in  the  village,  they  could  easily  steal  more. 

The  council  over,  the  village  soon  presented  the  ap 
pearance  of  a  busy  fair;  and  as  horses  were  in  demand 
the  adjacent  plain  was  like  the  vicinity  of  a  Tartar  en 
campment;  horses  were  put  through  all  their  paces, 
and  horsemen  were  careering  about  with  that  dexterity 
and  grace  for  which  the  Aricaras  were  noted.  As  soon 
as  a  horse  was  purchased,  his  tail  was  cropped,  a  sure 
mode  of  distinguishing  him  from  the  horses  of  the 
tribe;  for  the  Indians  disdained  to  practise  this  absurd, 
barbarous,  and  indecent  mutilation,  invented  by  some 


50  The  Fur  Traders 

mean  and  vulgar  mind,  insensible  to  the  merit  and 
perfections  of  the  animal.  On  the  contrary,  the  Indian 
horses  were  suffered  to  remain  in  every  respect  the  su 
perb  and  beautiful  animals  which  nature  formed  them. 

Suddenly  the  cry  was  up  that  the  Sioux  were  coming. 
In  an  instant  the  village  was  in  an  uproar.  Men,  wo 
men,  and  children  were  all  brawling  and  shouting;  dogs 
barking,  yelping,  and  howling.  Some  of  the  warriors 
ran  to  gather  the  horses  from  the  prairie,  some  for  their 
weapons.  As  fast  as  they  could  arm  and  equip,  they 
sallied  forth ;  some  on  horseback,  some  on  foot.  The 
women  and  children  gathered  on  the  tops  of  the  lodges 
and  heightened  the  confusion  of  the  scene  by  their  cries. 
Old  men  who  could  no  longer  bear  arms  harangued  the 
warriors  as  they  passed,  exhorting  them  to  valorous 
deeds.  Some  of  the  veterans  took  arms  themselves, 
and  sallied  forth  with  tottering  steps.  In  this  way,  the 
savage  chivalry  of  the  village  to  the  number  of  five 
hundred  poured  forth,  helter-skelter,  riding  and  run 
ning,  with  hideous  yells  and  war-whoops;  but  after  a 
while  it  rolled  back  with  far  less  uproar,  for  the  enemy 
had  retreated  on  being  discovered. 

One  morning,  just  before  daybreak,  a  great  noise 
was  heard  in  the  village,  and  soon,  on  the  dim  hills, 
three  hundred  braves  were  discerned,  returning  from  a 
foray.  They  had  met  the  war  party  of  Sioux  who  had 
been  so  long  hovering  about  the  neighbourhood,  had 
fought  them  the  day  before,  killed  several,  and  defeated 
the  rest  with  the  loss  of  but  two  or  three  of  their  own 
men  and  about  a  dozen  wounded ;  and  they  were  now 
halting  at  a  distance  until  their  comrades  in  the  village 
should  come  forth  to  meet  them,  and  swell  the  parade 
of  their  triumphal  entry.  All  the  finery  and  equip 
ments  of  the  warriors  were  sent  forth  to  them,  that 


Up  the  Missouri  51 

they  might  appear  to  the  greatest  advantage.  Those, 
too,  who  had  remained  at  home,  tasked  their  ward 
robes  and  toilets  to  do  honour  to  the  procession. 

When,  at  length,  the  preparations  were  completed, 
the  party  drew  near  the  village.  Parents  and  children, 
husbands  and  wives,  brothers  and  sisters  met  with  the 
most  rapturous  expressions  of  joy;  while  wailings  and 
lamentations  were  heard  from  the  relatives  of  the  killed 
and  wounded. 

Between  two  of  the  principal  chiefs  rode  a  young 
warrior  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  battle. 
He  was  severely  wounded,  so  as  with  difficulty  to  keep 
on  his  horse;  but  he  preserved  a  serene  and  steadfast 
countenance,  as  if  perfectly  unharmed.  His  mother 
had  heard  of  his  condition.  She  broke  through  the 
throng,  and  rushing  up,  threw  her  arms  around  him 
and  wept  aloud.  He  kept  up  the  spirit  and  demeanour 
of  a  warrior  to  the  last,  but  expired  shortly  after  he 
had  reached  his  home. 

The  village  was  now  a  scene  of  the  utmost  festivity 
and  triumph.  The  banners,  and  trophies,  and  scalps, 
and  painted  shields  were  elevated  on  poles  near  the 
lodges.  There  were  war-feasts,  and  scalp-dances,  with 
warlike  songs  and  savage  music;  all  the  inhabitants 
were  arrayed  in  their  festal  dresses;  while  the  old 
heralds  went  round  from  lodge  to  lodge,  promulgating 
with  loud  voices  the  events  of  the  battle  and  the  ex 
ploits  of  the  various  warriors. 

But  sounds  of  another  kind  were  heard  on  the  sur 
rounding  hills;  piteous  wailings  of  the  women,  who 
had  retired  thither  to  mourn  in  darkness  and  solitude 
for  those  who  had  fallen  in  battle.  There  the  poor 
mother  of  the  youthful  warrior  who  had  returned  home 
in  triumph  but  to  die  gave  full  vent  to  the  anguish  of 


52  The  Fur  Traders 

a  mother's  heart.  "In  Rama  was  there  a  voice  heard, 
lamentation,  and  weeping,  and  great  mourning,  Rachel 
weeping  for  her  children,  and  would  not  be  comforted, 
because  they  are  not." 


CHAPTER  VII 
TETONS 


ON  the  1  8th  of  July,  Mr.  Hunt  set  out  from  the 
Aricara  village  by  land,  having  disposed  of  his 
boats  and  superfluous  goods  to  Mr.  L,isa,  who  was  to 
wait  here  for  Mr.  Henry,  a  partner  in  the  Missouri  Fur 
Company.  With  all  his  exertions,  Mr.  Hunt  had  been 
unable  to  obtain  a  sufficient  number  of  horses  for  the 
accommodation  of  all  his  people.  His  cavalcade  con 
sisted  of  eighty-two  horses,  most  of  them  heavily  laden 
with  Indian  goods,  beaver  traps,  ammunition,  Indian 
corn,  corn-meal,  and  other  necessaries.  Each  of  the 
partners  was  mounted,  and  a  horse  was  allotted  to  the 
interpreter,  Pierre  Dorion,  for  the  transportation  of  his 
luggage  and  his  two  children.  His  squaw,  for  the  most 
part  of  the  time,  trudged  on  foot,  like  the  residue  of 
the  party  ;  nor  did  any  of  the  men  show  more  patience 
and  fortitude  than  this  resolute  woman  in  enduring 
fatigue  and  hardship. 

About  a  week  after  the  start  by  land,  as  some  of  the 
hunters  were  in  pursuit  of  game,  they  came  upon  an 
Indian  camp  on  the  open  prairie.  Reconnoitering  it, 
they  found  that  it  belonged  to  a  band  of  Cheyenne 
Indians  who  received  the  hunters  in  the  most  friendly 
manner;  invited  them  to  their  lodges,  which  were 
more  cleanly  than  Indian  lodges  are  prone  to  be,  and 
set  food  before  them  with  true  uncivilised  hospitality. 

53 


54  The  Fur  Traders 

Several  of  them  accompanied  the  hunters  back  to  the 
camp,  when  a  trade  was  immediately  opened.  The 
Cheyennes  were  astonished  and  delighted  to  find  a 
convoy  of  goods  and  trinkets  thus  brought  into  the 
very  heart  of  the  prairie;  while  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  com 
panions  were  overjoyed  to  have  an  opportunity  of  ob 
taining  a  further  supply  of  horses  from  these  equestrian 
savages. 

On  the  6th  of  August  the  travellers  bade  farewell  to 
the  friendly  band  of  Cheyennes,  and  resumed  their 
journey.  As  they  had  obtained  thirty-six  additional 
horses  by  their  recent  traffic,  Mr.  Hunt  made  a  new 
arrangement,  allotting  a  horse  to  each  of  the  six  prime 
hunters,  and  distributing  the  rest  among  the  voyageurs, 
a  horse  for  every  two,  so  that  they  could  ride  and 
walk  alternately. 

They  were  now  out  of  the  tract  of  country  infested 
by  the  Sioux,  and  had  advanced  such  a  distance  into 
the  interior  that  Mr.  Hunt  no  longer  feared  the  deser 
tion  of  any  of  his  men.  He  was  privately  informed, 
however,  that  Edward  Rose,  the  interpreter,  was  tam 
pering  with  the  fidelity  of  certain  of  the  men.  His 
plan  was  to  induce  several  of  the  men  to  join  with  him, 
when  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Crows,  whose  coun 
try  they  were  approaching,  in  carrying  off  a  number 
of  the  horses  with  their  packages  of  goods,  and  desert 
ing  to  those  savages.  He  assured  them  of  good  treat 
ment  among  the  Crows,  the  principal  chiefs  and  warriors 
of  whom  he  knew;  they  would  soon  become  great  men 
among  them,  and  have  the  daughters  of  the  chiefs  for 
wives;  and  the  horses  and  goods  they  carried  off  would 
make  them  rich  for  life. 

Mr.  Hunt  resolved  to  frustrate  the  knave  by  mak 
ing  it  sufficiently  advantageous  for  him  to  remain 


The  Tetons  55 

honest.  He  took  occasion,  accordingly,  in  the  course 
of  conversation,  to  inform  Rose  that,  having  engaged 
him  chiefly  as  a  guide  and  interpreter  through  the 
country  of  the  Crows,  the  company  would  not  stand  in 
need  of  his  services  beyond.  Knowing,  therefore,  his 
connection  by  marriage  with  that  tribe,  and  his  predi 
lection  for  a  residence  among  them,  they  would  put  no 
restraint  upon  his  will,  but,  whenever  they  met  with  a 
party  of  that  people,  would  leave  him  at  liberty  to  re 
main  among  his  adopted  brethren.  Furthermore,  that 
in  thus  parting  with  him,  they  would  pay  him  half  a 
year's  wages  in  consideration  of  his  past  services,  and 
would  give  him  a  horse,  three  beaver  traps,  and  sundry 
other  articles  calculated  to  set  him  up  in  the  world. 
This  liberality  was  so  unexpected  that  Rose's  whole 
manner  changed;  his  brow  cleared  up;  he  appeared 
more  cheerful;  he  left  off  his  sullen,  skulking  habits, 
and  made  no  further  attempt  to  tamper  with  the  faith 
of  his  comrades. 

The  travellers,  after  much  toil,  had  now  arrived  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  mountain  regions  infested  by  the 
Crow  Indians.  In  fact,  the  following  day  had  scarce 
dawned  when  a  troop  of  these  wild  mountain  scamperers 
came  galloping  with  whoops  and  yells  into  the  camp, 
bringing  an  invitation  from  their  chief  for  the  white 
men  to  visit  him.  The  tents  were  accordingly  struck, 
the  horses  laden,  and  the  party  were  soon  on  the  march, 
a  ride  of  sixteen  miles  bringing  them,  in  the  after 
noon,  in  sight  of  the  Crow  camp. 

The  following  day  was  passed  in  trading  with  the 
Crows  for  buffalo  robes  and  skins,  and  in  bartering 
galled  and  jaded  horses  for  others  that  were  in  good 
condition.  Some  of  the  men,  also,  purchased  horses  on 
their  own  account,  so  that  the  number  now  amounted 


56  The  Fur  Traders 

to  one  hundred  and  twenty-one,  most  of  them  sound 
and  active,  and  fit  for  mountain  service.  Their  wants 
being  supplied,  they  ceased  all  further  traffic,  much  to 
the  dissatisfaction  of  the  Crows,  who  became  extremely 
urgent  to  continue  the  trade,  and,  finding  their  impor 
tunities  of  no  avail,  assumed  an  insolent  and  menacing 
tone. 

No  outbreak  occurred,  however,  for  the  Crows  were 
daunted  by  the  resolute  demeanour  of  the  white  men, 
and  the  armed  preparation  they  maintained;  and  Rose, 
if  he  still  harboured  his  knavish  design,  must  have 
seen  that  it  was  suspected.  Next  morning  Mr.  Hunt, 
taking  a  ceremonious  leave  of  the  Crow  chieftain  and 
his  vagabond  warriors,  consigned  to  their  friendship 
their  worthy  confederate  Rose;  who,  having  figured 
among  the  water  pirates  of  the  Mississippi,  was  well 
fitted  to  rise  to  distinction  among  the  land  pirates  of 
the  Rockies.  He  was  well  received  among  the  tribe, 
and  he  appeared  to  be  more  at  his  ease  among  savages 
than  among  white  men. 

Right  glad  to  be  delivered  from  this  treacherous  com 
panion,  Mr.  Hunt  pursued  his  course  along  the  skirts 
of  a  mountain,  in  a  southern  direction,  seeking  for 
some  practicable  defile  by  which  he  might  pass  through 
it.  But  after  two  days  of  fruitless  scrambling,  he  gave 
up  the  attempt  to  penetrate  in  the  direction  which  he 
had  taken.  To  his  surprise  Rose  suddenly  appeared 
in  camp  and  announced  himself  a  messenger  of  good 
will  from  the  chief,  who,  finding  they  had  taken  the 
wrong  road,  had  sent  him  to  guide  them  to  a  nearer 
and  better  one  across  the  mountain. 

They  had  not  gone  far  with  this  questionable  guide 
before  they  fell  in  with  the  whole  party  of  Crows,  who, 
they  now  found,  were  going  the  same  road  with  them- 


The  Tetons  57 

selves.  The  two  cavalcades  pushed  on  together,  pre 
senting  a  wild  and  picturesque  spectacle,  as,  equipped 
with  various  weapons  and  in  various  garbs,  with  trains 
of  pack-horses,  they  wound  in  long  lines  through  the 
rugged  defiles,  and  up  and  down  the  crags  and  steeps 
of  the  mountains. 

As  the  travelling  was  painful  to  the  burdened  horses, 
Mr.  Hunt's  party  was  gradually  left  behind  by  the 
Crows,  who  had  taken  the  lead.  Certain  it  is  that  Mr. 
Hunt  felt  a  sensation  of  relief  as  he  saw  the  whole 
crew,  the  renegade  Rose  and  all,  disappear  among  the 
windings  of  the  mountain,  and  heard  the  last  yelp 
of  the  savages  die  away  in  the  distance.  When  the 
Indians  were  fairly  out  of  sight  and  out  of  hearing, 
he  encamped  long  enough  for  them  to  get  well  in 
advance. 

On  the  gth  of  September,  the  travellers  came  to  a 
rapid  and  beautifully  clear  stream  about  a  hundred 
yards  wide.  It  is  the  north  fork  of  the  Big  Horn 
River,  but  bears  its  peculiar  name  of  the  Wind  River 
from  being  subject  in  the  winter  season  to  a  continued 
blast  which  sweeps  its  banks  and  prevents  the  snow 
from  lying  on  them. 

For  five  succeeding  days,  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party 
continued  up  the  course  of  the  Wind  River,  to  the  dis 
tance  of  about  eighty  miles,  crossing  and  recrossing  it, 
according  to  its  windings  and  the  nature  of  its  banks. 
At  length  meeting  with  a  beaten  Indian  road  which 
led  in  the  proper  direction,  they  struck  into  it,  turning 
their  backs  upon  Wind  River. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  they  came  to  a  height  that 
commanded  an  almost  boundless  prospect.  Here  one 
of  the  guides  paused,  and,  after  considering  the  vast 
landscape  attentively,  pointed  to  three  mountain  peaks 


58  The  Fur  Traders 

glistening  with  snow,  which  rose,  he  said,  above  a  fork 
of  Columbia  River.  They  were  hailed  by  the  travellers 
with  that  joy  with  which  a  beacon  on  a  sea-shore  is 
hailed  by  mariners  after  a  long  and  dangerous  voyage. 
It  is  true  there  was  many  a  weary  league  to  be  trav 
ersed  before  they  should  reach  these  landmarks;  and 
even  after  reaching  them,  there  would  yet  remain  hund 
reds  of  miles  of  their  journey  to  be  accomplished;  yet, 
all  these  matters  were  forgotten  in  the  joy  at  seeing 
the  first  landmarks  of  the  Columbia,  that  river  which 
formed  the  bourne  of  the  expedition.  These  remark 
able  peaks  were  known  as  the  Tetons;  as  guiding 
points  for  many  days  to  Mr.  Hunt,  he  gave  them  the 
name  of  the  Pilot  Knobs. 

That  day's  march  of  forty  miles  carried  them  across 
the  range  of  the  Wind  River  Mountains  into  the  valley 
of  the  Green  River,  a  region  destined  to  become  famous 
in  the  history  of  the  traders  and  trappers  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Five  days  were  passed  in  the  fresh  mead 
ows  watered  by  this  bright  little  mountain  stream.  The 
hunters  made  great  havoc  among  the  buffaloes,  and 
brought  in  quantities  of  meat;  the  voyageurs  busied 
themselves  about  the  fires,  roasting  and  stewing  for 
present  purposes,  or  drying  provisions  for  the  journey; 
the  pack-horses,  eased  of  their  burdens,  rolled  on  the 
grass,  or  grazed  at  large  about  the  ample  pastures; 
those  of  the  party  who  had  no  call  upon  their  services 
indulged  in  the  luxury  of  perfect  relaxation,  and  the 
camp  presented  a  picture  of  rude  feasting  and  revelry, 
of  mingled  bustle  and  repose,  characteristic  of  a  halt  in 
a  fine  hunting  country. 

Being  now  well  supplied  with  provisions,  Mr.  Hunt 
broke  up  his  encampment  on  the  24th  of  September, 
and  continued  on  to  the  west.  A  march  of  fifteen 


The  Tetons  59 

miles,  over  a  mountain  ridge,  brought  them  to  a  stream 
about  fifty  feet  in  width,  which  Hoback,  one  of  their 
guides,  for  whom  the  stream  has  since  been  named, 
recognised  as  one  of  the  head  waters  of  the  Columbia, 
their  destination.  They  kept  along  it  for  two  days, 
during  which,  from  the  contribution  of  many  rills  and 
brooks,  it  gradually  swelled  into  a  small  river.  Finally 
it  emptied  into  a  river  of  greater  magnitude  and 
swifter  current,  and  their  united  waters  swept  off 
through  the  valley  in  one  impetuous  stream,  which, 
from  its  rapidity  and  turbulence,  had  received  the  name 
of  Mad  River — since  called  the  Snake,  from  the  Indian 
tribe  dwelling  on  its  banks.  An  important  point  in 
their  arduous  journey  had  been  attained,  a  few  miles 
from  their  camp  rose  the  three  vast  snowy  peaks  called 
the  Tetons,  or  the  Pilot  Knobs,  the  great  landmarks 
of  the  Columbia,  by  which  they  had  shaped  their  way 
through  this  mountain  wilderness.  By  their  feet 
flowed  a  stream  down  which  they  might  be  able  to 
steer  their  course  to  the  Columbia. 

As  the  neighbourhood  was  a  good  "trapping 
ground"  it  was  proper  to  begin  to  cast  loose  here 
those  pairs  of  hardy  trappers  that  are  detached  from 
trading  parties  in  the  very  heart  of  the  wilderness ;  for 
trappers  generally  go  in  pairs,  that  they  may  assist, 
protect,  and  comfort  each  other  in  their  lonely  and  peril 
ous  occupations.  Thus  Carson  and  St.  Michel  formed 
one  couple,  and  Detaye  and  Delaunay  another.  They 
were  fitted  out  with  traps,  arms,  ammunition,  horses, 
and  every  other  requisite,  and  were  to  trap  upon  the 
upper  part  of  Mad  River,  and  upon  the  neighbouring 
streams  of  the  mountains.  This  would  probably  oc 
cupy  them  for  some  months;  and,  when  they  should 
have  collected  a  sufficient  quantity  of  peltries,  they 


60  The  Fur  Traders 

were  to  pack  them  upon  their  horses  and  make  the  best 
of  their  way  to  the  mouth  of  Columbia  River,  or  to 
any  intermediate  post  which  might  be  established  by 
the  company.  They  took  leave  of  their  comrades  and 
started  off  on  their  several  courses  with  stout  hearts 
and  cheerful  countenances. 

Robinson,  Hoback,  and  Rezner,  the  three  hunters 
who  had  hitherto  served  as  guides  among  the  mount 
ains,  now  advised  Mr.  Hunt  to  make  for  the  post  es 
tablished  during  the  preceding  year  by  Mr.  Henry,  of 
the  Missouri  Fur  Company,  after  he  had  been  driven 
from  the  upper  Missouri  the  preceding  summer  by  the 
hostilities  of  the  Blackfeet.  They  had  been  with  Mr. 
Henry,  and,  as  far  as  they  could  judge  by  the  neigh 
bouring  landmarks,  his  post  could  not  be  very  far  off. 
So,  crossing  the  Snake  and  the  Teton  pass,  they  ar 
rived,  on  October  8th,  at  the  post  that  had  been  aban 
doned  by  Mr.  Henry  in  the  spring,  when  he  set  out  to 
rejoin  L,isa  at  the  Aricara  village,  where  he  arrived 
some  time  after  Mr.  Hunt's  departure. 

The  weary  travellers  gladly  took  possession  of  the 
deserted  log  huts  which  had  formed  the  post;  and, 
there  being  plenty  of  suitable  timber  in  the  neighbour 
hood,  Mr.  Hunt  immediately  proceeded  to  construct 
canoes.  As  he  would  have  to  leave  his  horses  and 
their  accoutrements  here,  he  determined  to  make  this  a 
trading  post,  where  the  trappers  and  hunters,  to  be 
distributed  about  the  country,  might  repair ;  and  where 
the  traders  might  touch  on  their  way  through  the 
mountains  to  and  from  the  establishment  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia.  He  engaged  two  Snake  Indians, 
who  had  come  into  camp,  to  remain  in  that  neighbour 
hood  and  care  for  the  horses  until  he  could  send  for 
them.  It  was  the  one  chance  of  regaining  them,  des- 


The  Tetons  61 

perate  as  it  seemed  to  trust  to  the  honesty  of  two  such 
vagabonds. 

At  this  place,  three  other  hunters  separated  from  the 
party  for  the  purpose  of  trapping  beaver.  They  were 
the  veteran  Robinson,  and  his  companions,  Hoback 
and  Rezner,  who  had  been  picked  up  by  Mr.  Hunt  on 
their  way  back  to  Kentucky. 

When  they  and  another  by  the  name  of  Cass  were 
about  to  start,  Mr.  Miller,  a  partner  whom  Mr.  Hunt 
had  taken  in  at  St.  Louis,  called  together  his  associates 
and  in  disgust  threw  up  his  share  in  the  company  and 
declared  his  intention  of  joining  the  party  of  trappers. 
As  he  would  not  be  reasoned  with,  he  was  fitted  out 
with  a  generous  equipment,  and  allowed  to  cast  him 
self  loose  thus  wantonly  upon  savage  life. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

CALDRON   LINN 

BY  the  1 8th  of  October,  fifteen  canoes  were  com 
pleted,  and  on  the  following  day  the  party  em 
barked  with  their  effects;  leaving  their  horses  grazing 
about  the  banks,  and  trusting  to  the  honesty  of  the  two 
Snakes  and  some  special  turn  of  good  luck  for  their 
future  recovery. 

The  current  bore  them  along  at  a  rapid  rate;  the 
light  spirits  of  the  Canadian  vqyageurs,  which  had  oc 
casionally  flagged  upon  land,  rose  to  their  accustomed 
buoyancy  on  finding  themselves  again  upon  the  water. 
They  wielded  their  paddes  with  their  wonted  dexterity, 
and  for  the  first  time  made  the  mountains  echo  with 
their  favourite  boat  songs. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  the  little  squadron  arrived 
at  the  confluence  of  Henry  and  Snake  rivers,  which, 
thus  united,  swelled  into  a  beautiful  stream,  navigable 
for  boats  of  any  size.  The  weather  was  cold,  and  it 
snowed  all  day,  and  great  flocks  of  ducks  and  geese 
sporting  in  the  water  or  streaming  through  the  air 
gave  token  that  winter  was  at  hand;  yet  the  hearts  of 
the  travellers  were  light,  and,  as  they  glided  down  the 
little  river,  they  flattered  themselves  with  the  hope  of 
soon  reaching  the  Columbia. 

The  three  snowy  summits  of  the  Tetons  were  still 
seen  towering  in  the  distance.  After  pursuing  a  swift 

62 


Caldron  Linn  63 

but  placid  course  for  twenty  miles,  the  current  began 
to  foam  and  brawl,  and  assume  the  wild  and  broken 
character  common  to  the  streams  west  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Two  of  the  canoes  filled  among  the 
breakers;  the  crews  were  saved,  but  much  of  the  lading 
was  lost  or  damaged,  and  one  of  the  canoes  drifted 
down  the  stream  and  was  broken  among  the  rocks. 

They  consumed  a  great  part  of  the  next  day  in  pass 
ing  the  canoes  down  cautiously  by  a  line  from  the  im 
pending  banks;  and  after  they  had  reembarked  they 
were  soon  again  impeded  by  rapids,  when  they  had  to 
unload  their  canoes  and  carry  them  and  their  cargoes 
for  some  distance  by  land.  It  is  at  these  portages  that 
the  Canadian  voyageur  exhibits  his  most  valuable 
qualities;  carrying  heavy  burdens,  and  toiling  to  and 
fro,  on  land  and  in  the  water,  over  rocks  and  preci 
pices,  among  brakes  and  brambles,  not  only  without  a 
murmur,  but  with  the  greatest  cheerfulness  and  alacrity, 
joking  and  laughing  and  singing  scraps  of  old  French 
ditties. 

They  had  now  come  near  two  hundred  and  eighty 
miles  since  leaving  Fort  Henry,  yet  without  seeing  a 
human  being,  or  a  human  habitation.  At  length,  on 
the  24th  of  October,  they  were  gladdened  by  the  sight 
of  some  tents,  and  hastened  to  land  and  visit  them; 
but  the  savages  in  them  fled  in  consternation,  leaving 
behind  great  quantities  of  small  fish,  together  with 
roots  and  grain,  which  they  were  drying  for  winter 
provisions. 

The  28th  of  October  was  a  day  of  disaster.  The 
river  again  became  rough  and  impetuous,  and  was 
chafed  and  broken  by  numerous  rapids.  These  grew 
more  and  more  dangerous,  and  the  utmost  skill  was 
required  to  steer  among  them.  The  second  canoe  of  the 


64  The  Fur  Traders 

squadron  had  an  old,  experienced  Canadian  for  steers 
man,  named  Antoine  Clappine,  one  of  the  most  valu 
able  of  the  voyageurs.  The  leading  canoe  had  glided 
safely  among  the  turbulent  and  roaring  surges;  but, 
in  following  it,  the  second  canoe,  striking  a  rock,  was 
split  and  overturned.  Of  the  five  persons  on  board  two 
were  thrown  amidst  roaring  breakers  and  a  whirling 
current,  but  succeeded  in  reaching  the  shore.  Clap- 
pine  and  the  two  others  clung  to  the  shattered  bark, 
and  drifted  with  it  to  a  rock.  The  wreck  struck  the 
rock  with  one  end,  and  swinging  round,  flung  poor 
Clappine  off  into  the  raging  stream,  which  swept  him 
away,  and  he  perished.  His  comrades  succeeded  in 
getting  upon  the  rock  whence  they  were  afterwards 
rescued. 

They  had  arrived  at  a  terrific  strait,  that  forbade  all 
further  progress  in  the  canoes.  The  whole  body  of  the 
river  was  compressed  into  a  space  of  less  than  thirty 
feet  in  width,  between  two  ledges  of  rocks,  upwards  of 
two  hundred  feet  high,  and  formed  a  whirling  and 
tumultuous  vortex,  so  frightfully  agitated  as  to  re 
ceive  the  name  of  "  The  Caldron  Linn."  Beyond  this 
fearful  abyss,  the  river  kept  raging  and  roaring  on, 
until  lost  to  sight  among  impending  precipices.  Short 
reconnaissances  were  made  from  this  point,  and  John 
Reed,  the  clerk,  with  a  party  of  three  was  sent  for 
ward  to  make  a  more  extended  exploration  of  the 
river. 

The  situation  of  the  travellers  was  now  perilous  in 
the  extreme,  especially  as  the  repeated  accidents  to 
their  canoes  had  reduced  their  stock  of  provisions  to 
five  days'  allowance,  and  famine  was  added  to  their 
other  sufferings.  Accordingly,  it  was  determined  that 
several  small  detachments  should  start  off  in  different 


Caldron  Linn  65 

directions,  headed  by  the  several  partners.  Should 
any  of  them  succeed  in  falling  in  with  friendly  Indians, 
within  a  reasonable  distance,  and  obtaining  a  supply 
of  provisions  and  horses,  they  were  to  return  to  the  aid 
of  the  main  body:  otherwise  they  were  to  shift  for 
themselves,  and  shape  their  course  according  to  cir 
cumstances;  keeping  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River 
as  the  ultimate  point  of  their  wayfaring.  Accordingly, 
three  several  parties  set  off  from  the  camp  at  Caldron 
I^inn,  in  opposite  directions.  Mr.  M'Lellan,  with  three 
men,  kept  down  along  the  bank  of  the  river.  Mr. 
Crooks,  with  five  others,  turned  their  steps  up  it;  re 
tracing  by  land  the  weary  course  they  had  made  by 
water,  intending,  should  they  not  find  relief  nearer  at 
hand,  to  keep  on  until  they  should  reach  Henry's  Fort, 
where  they  hoped  to  find  the  horses  they  had  left  there, 
and  to  return  with  them  to  the  main  body. 

The  third  party,  composed  of  five  men,  was  headed 
by  Mr.  M'Kenzie,  who  struck  to  the  northward,  across 
the  desert  plains,  in  hopes  of  coming  upon  the  main 
stream  of  the  Columbia. 

With  Mr.  Hunt  there  were  left  thirty-one  men,  and 
the  squaw  and  two  children  of  Pierre  Dorion.  They 
began  caching '  their  goods  and  baggage  so  as  to  be 

'A  cache  is  a  secret  hiding-place  that  is  carefully  prepared, 
preferably  in  the  clay  bank  of  some  stream.  Blankets  are 
spread  over  the  surrounding  grass  and  then  a  circle  two  feet  in 
diameter  is  nicely  cut  in  the  sod,  which  is  carefully  removed 
together  with  the  loose  soil  immediately  beneath  it.  The 
opening  is  dug  perpendicularly  to  the  depth  of  three  feet,  and 
is  then  gradually  widened  so  as  to  form  a  conical  chamber  six 
or  seven  feet  deep.  The  earth  dug  from  this  is  heaped  in 
blankets  and  thrown  into  the  midst  of  the  stream  that  it  may 
be  entirely  carried  off. 
The  cave  thus  formed  is  well  lined  with  dry  grass,  bark, 


66  The  Fur  Traders 

ready  to  move  forward  afoot,  if  it  should  be  necessary. 
While  they  were  thus  employed  Mr.  Crooks  unexpect 
edly  returned,  being  disheartened  after  three  days  by 
the  difficulties  that  made  it  impossible  to  reach  Henry's 
Fort  and  return  during  the  course  of  the  winter.  Five 
days  later  two  of  Mr.  Reed's  men  returned  to  report  the 
river  unnavigable.  In  consequence,  it  was  decided  not 
to  attempt  navigation,  but  to  make  the  best  of  their  way 
on  foot.  They  divided  the  party  into  two  bands;  Mr. 
Hunt  with  eighteen  men,  beside  Pierre  Dorion  and  his 
family,  set  out  down  one  bank,  and  Mr.  Crooks  with 
eighteen  others  down  the  other  bank  of  the  Snake 
River.  It  was  the  gth  of  November  when  they  said 
good-bye  to  Caldron  Linn,  giving  it,  in  disgust  at  the 
disasters  here  met  with,  the  name  of  "  The  Devil's 
Scuttle  Hole." 

After  several  days  of  difficult  travelling,  Mr.  Hunt's 
party  fell  into  a  beaten  track  leading  along  the  river; 
and  they  had  not  proceeded  far  before  they  met  two 
Snake  Indians  from  whom,  and  from  fellow-tribesmen 
as  scantily  provided  as  themselves,  they  from  time 
to  time  got  some  slight  help.  On  the  6th  of  December 
they  were  brought  to  a  standstill  by  the  impassable 
Blue  Mountains;  and  next  day  they  were  greeted 
across  the  foaming  river  by  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  fol- 

sticks,  and  poles.  The  property,  having  been  well  aired,  is 
then  laid  in  ;  dry  grass,  brush,  and  stones  are  thrown  in  and 
trampled  down,  until  the  neck  of  the  cache  is  nearly  level  with 
the  surrounding  surface,  and  then  the  sod  is  replaced  with 
the  utmost  exactness,  and  any  bushes  or  stones  that  may  have 
originally  been  about  the  spot  are  restored  to  their  former 
places.  The  blankets  are  removed,  all  tracks  obliterated,  the 
grass  gently  raised  by  hand  to  its  natural  position,  and  the 
smallest  chip  or  straw  gleaned  up  and  thrown  into  the  stream. 


Caldron  Linn  67 

lowers,  who  had  been  turned  back  by  the  same  ob 
stacles.  Their  first  cry  was  for  food,  and  the  answer 
was  such  food  as  Mr.  Hunt  had.  Their  month's  wan 
derings  also  had  been  one  long  struggle  with  hunger 
and  want. 

Altogether  the  situation  was  a  critical  one,  and  Mr. 
Hunt  decided  to  return  to  the  Indians,  only  to  find 
that  many  of  the  Crooks  party  were  too  weak  to  move 
at  more  than  a  snail's  pace.  In  fact  Mr.  Crooks  soon 
became  too  ill  to  move  at  all,  and  he  and  Mr.  Hunt 
were  quickly  deserted,  so  desperate  had  the  men  be 
come. 

Setting  out  with  a  companion  or  two  in  the  hope  of 
finding  some  aid  Mr.  Hunt  had  not  proceeded  far  when 
he  came  in  sight  of  a  lodge  of  Shoshonies,  with  a  num 
ber  of  horses  grazing  around  it.  They  came  upon  the 
savages  by  surprise,  who  fled  in  terror.  They  eagerly 
seized  five  of  their  horses,  killed  one  on  the  spot,  and, 
hastily  cooking  and  devouring  a  portion,  they  hurried 
the  rest  of  the  meat  to  Mr.  Crooks  and  to  his  famished 
men  across  the  river. 

Mr.  Hunt  now  sent  forward  all  his  men  except  four 
Canadians  and  John  Day  who  were  to  remain  with  Mr. 
Crooks,  and  to  follow  slowly,  when  their  strength  per 
mitted.  He  himself,  a  day  later,  came  up  with  his 
main  party,  and,  on  the  24th  of  December,  he  turned 
his  back  on  the  disastrous  banks  of  the  Snake  River, 
and  struck  westward  across  the  mountains.  On  the 
2gth,  he  came  upon  an  Indian  camp  in  the  valley  of 
the  Grande  Ronde,  where  a  hearty  meal  restored  every 
one  to  good  spirits. 

After  two  days  of  welcome  rest  the  travellers  ad 
dressed  themselves  once  more  to  their  westward  journey 
and  in  particular  to  the  snow-clad  hills  that  lay  in  their 


68  The  Fur  Traders 

path — the  Blue  Mountains,  the  last  barrier  between 
them  and  the  Columbia.  It  was  a  week,  however,  be 
fore  they  descended  into  the  balmy  valley  of  the  Uma- 
tilla  River,  and  came  upon  a  camp  of  prosperous 
Sciatoga  Indians.  Here  they  found  articles  of  civilised 
manufacture,  and  learned  that  several  white  men  had 
recently  descended  this  river. 

On  the  2oth  of  January,  after  a  two- weeks  rest  among 
these  friendly  Indians,  Mr.  Hunt  set  out  again,  reach 
ing  the  Columbia  the  next  day,  and  crossing  to  the 
road  which  led  along  its  north  bank.  Here  and  there 
he  picked  up  information  concerning  the  men  who  had 
preceded  him  down  the  river,  and  learned  in  one  place 
that  they  had  overturned  one  of  their  canoes,  losing 
many  articles.  He  also  had  vague  news  concerning 
the  establishment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  and  a 
fairly  correct  version  of  the  loss  of  the  Tonquin. 

On  the  3ist  of  January,  Mr.  Hunt  encamped  at  the 
village  of  the  Wish-ram,  situated  at  the  head  of  ' '  the 
Long  Narrows ' '  (The  Dalles).  He  fortunately  escaped 
serious  trouble  with  its  freebooting  inhabitants,  and 
left  there  in  canoes  on  February  5th. 

Except  for  a  portage  at  the  cascades  the  canoes  met 
with  no  further  obstruction,  and,  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  1 5th  of  February,  1812,  swept  round  an  intervening 
cape,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  settlement  of  Astoria, 
with  its  magazines,  habitations,  and  picketed  bulwarks, 
on  a  high  point  of  land  dominating  a  beautiful  little 
bay,  in  which  was  a  trim-built  shallop  riding  quietly 
at  anchor.  A  shout  of  joy  burst  from  each  canoe  at 
the  long-wished-for  sight.  They  urged  their  canoes 
across  the  bay,  and  pulled  with  eagerness  for  shore, 
where  all  hands  poured  down  from  the  settlement  to 
receive  and  welcome  them. 


Caldron  Linn  69 

Among  the  first  to  greet  them  were  some  of  their  old 
comrades  and  fellow-sufferers,  who,  under  the  conduct 
of  Reed,  M'Lellan,  and  M'Kenzie,  had  parted  from  them 
at  the  Caldron  Linn.  These  had  reached  Astoria  nearly 
a  month  before,  and,  judging  from  their  own  narrow 
escape  from  starvation,  had  given  up  Mr.  Hunt  and 
his  followers  as  lost.  As  to  the  Canadian  voyageurs, 
their  mutual  felicitations  were  loud  and  vociferous, 
and  it  was  almost  laughable  to  behold  these  ancient 
"comrades"  and  confreres  hugging  and  kissing  each 
other. 

When  the  first  greetings  were  over,  the  different 
bands  interchanged  accounts  of  their  several  wander 
ings,  after  separating  at  Snake  River.  It  will  be  recol 
lected  that  a  small  exploring  detachment  had  proceeded 
down  the  river,  under  the  conduct  of  Mr.  John  Reed, 
a  clerk  of  the  company ;  that  another  had  set  off  under 
M'Lellan,  and  a  third  in  a  different  direction  under 
M'Kenzie.  After  wandering  for  several  days  without 
meeting  with  Indians,  or  obtaining  any  supplies,  they 
came  together  by  chance  among  the  Snake  River 
mountains,  some  distance  below  that  disastrous  pass 
which  had  received  the  name  of  the  Devil's  Scuttle 
Hole. 

When  thus  united,  their  party  consisted  of  M'Ken 
zie,  M'Lellan,  Reed,  and  eight  men,  chiefly  Canadians. 
Being  without  horses  and  provisions  they  all  agreed 
that  it  would  be  useless  to  return  to  Mr.  Hunt,  and 
that  their  only  course  was  to  extricate  themselves  as 
soon  as  possible  from  this  land  of  famine  and  make 
their  way  for  the  Columbia. 

At  length,  after  twenty-one  days,  they  got  through 
the  mountains,  and  reaching  the  Lewis  River,  they  fell 
in  with  a  friendly  tribe  of  Indians.  From  these  they 


7O  The  Fur  Traders 

procured  two  canoes,  in  which  they  dropped  down  the 
stream  to  its  confluence  with  the  Columbia,  and  then 
down  that  river  to  Astoria,  where  they  arrived  haggard 
and  emaciated,  and  perfectly  in  rags. 

Thus  all  the  leading  persons  of  Mr.  Hunt's  expedi 
tion  were  once  more  gathered  together,  excepting  Mr. 
Crooks,  of  whose  safety  they  entertained  but  little 
hope,  considering  the  feeble  condition  in  which  they 
had  been  compelled  to  leave  him  in  the  heart  of  the 
wilderness. 

A  day  was  now  given  up  to  jubilee,  to  celebrate  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions,  and  the  joy 
ful  meeting  of  the  various  scattered  bands  of  adven 
turers  at  Astoria.  The  colours  were  hoisted ;  the  guns, 
great  and  small,  were  fired;  there  was  a  feast  of  fish, 
of  beaver,  and  venison,  which  relished  well  with  men 
who  had  so  long  been  glad  to  revel  on  horse  flesh  and 
dogs'  meat;  a  genial  allowance  of  grog  was  issued,  and 
the  festivities  wound  up,  as  usual,  with  a  grand  dance 
at  night,  by  the  Canadian  voyageurs.1 

1  The  distance  from  St.  Louis  to  Astoria,  by  the  route 
travelled  by  Hunt,  was  estimated  by  him  at  thirty-five  hundred 
miles. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   INDIANS  OF  WISH-RAM 

AS  the  spring  opened,  the  little  settlement  of  Astoria 
was  in  agitation,  and  prepared  to  send  forth 
various  expeditions.  As  the  route  of  the  several  parties 
would  be  the  same  for  nearly  four  hundred  miles  up 
the  Columbia,  and  within  that  distance  would  lie 
through  the  piratical  pass  of  the  rapids,  and  among  the 
freebooting  tribes  of  the  river,  it  was  thought  advisable 
to  start  about  the  same  time  and  to  keep  together. 
Accordingly,  on  the  226.  of  March,  they  all  set  off,  to 
the  number  of  seventeen  men,  in  two  canoes, — John 
Reed  to  carry  important  despatches  overland  to  Mr. 
Astor  in  New  York ;  two  clerks  with  sufficient  help  to 
fetch  the  goods  deposited  by  Mr.  Hunt  in  the  nine 
caches  at  Caldron  Linn ;  and  Robert  Stuart  with  goods 
and  reinforcements  for  his  uncle's  post  at  Okanagan. 

At  the  Long  Narrows  (The  Dalles),  being  too  few  in 
number  to  make  the  portage  alone,  the  party  hired  the 
Indians  to  aid  them.  The  first  load  was  convoyed  by 
five  men  well  armed,  and  by  Reed,  that  gallant  Irish 
man,  striding  along  at  the  head,  with  his  tin  case  of 
despatches  glittering  on  his  back.  In  passing  through 
a  rocky  defile,  some  of  the  thievish  vagrants  turned 
their  horses  up  a  narrow  path  and  galloped  off,  carry 
ing  with  them  two  bales  of  goods  and  a  number  of 
small  articles.  To  follow  was  useless;  indeed,  it  was 

71 


72  The  Fur  Traders 

with  much  ado  that  the  convoy  got  the  rest  of  the  car 
goes  into  port,  and  later,  being  joined  by  the  rest  of 
the  party,  they  remained  under  arms  all  night,  hastily 
embarking  at  the  first  peep  of  dawn. 

The  worthies  of  Wish-ram  were  disposed  to  take 
further  tolls  of  the  travellers,  and,  if  possible,  to  capture 
the  shining  tin  case  of  despatches,  which  they  supposed 
must  be  "  a  great  medicine."  Accordingly,  when  the 
party  landed  in  order  to  pass  the  falls,  four  hundred 
of  these  river  ruffians  pressed  forward  with  offers  to 
carry  the  canoes  and  effects  up  the  portage.  These 
were  accepted  in  regard  to  the  canoes  with  great 
precautions,  but  when  the  Indians  reached  the  head  of 
the  falls,  they  were  with  difficulty  kept  from  destroying 
both  the  canoes.  Mr.  Stuart  tried  to  steal  a  march  on 
them  by  transporting  the  goods  during  the  night;  but 
at  daybreak  there  were  still  two  loads  to  be  brought. 

Although  the  Indians  had  given  the  alarm,  Mr. 
Stuart  despatched  the  men  for  one  of  the  loads  with  a 
request  to  Mr.  Reed  to  keep  as  many  as  he  thought 
necessary  to  guard  the  other.  Mr.  Reed  refused  to 
keep  any  of  the  men,  saying  that  M'Lellan  and  himself 
were  sufficient.  Scarcely  had  the  men  departed,  when 
the  first  canoe-loads  of  savages  reached  the  spot.  With 
a  war-whoop  they  leaped  forward  to  secure  the  glitter 
ing  tin  box  of  John  Reed,  and  to  hoodwink  M'Lellan 
with  a  buffalo  robe.  The  latter  escaped  the  accom 
panying  dagger  thrust  and  shot  his  assailant  through 
the  heart;  but  Reed,  still  fumbling  with  the  leather 
cover  to  his  rifle,  was  stretched  senseless  and  stripped 
in  a  twinkling  of  his  rifle  and  pistols,  and  the  shining 
tin  box  was  borne  off  in  triumph.  In  fact,  Reed  him 
self  was  about  to  be  tomahawked,  when  Mr.  Stuart  and 
eight  men  came  charging  with  a  cheer  to  the  rescue, 


The  Indians  of  Wish-ram  73 

shot  the  miscreant,  and  carried  Reed's  almost  lifeless 
body  to  the  upper  end  of  the  portage. 

After  some  necessary  calking  the  canoes  were 
launched  and  the  Indians  returned  to  the  scene  of  ac 
tion,  bore  off  the  dead,  and  returned  to  their  village. 
Here  they  killed  two  horses  and  drank  the  hot  blood 
to  give  fierceness  to  their  courage.  They  painted  and 
arrayed  themselves  hideously  for  battle ;  performed  the 
dead  dance  round  the  slain,  and  raised  the  war  song  of 
vengeance.  Then  mounting  their  horses,  to  the  num 
ber  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  brandishing 
their  weapons,  they  set  off  along  the  northern  bank  of 
the  river,  got  ahead  of  the  canoes,  and  prepared  for  a 
terrible  revenge.  Fortunately  they  were  perceived  by 
Mr.  Stuart  and  his  companions. 

Finding  that  the  enemy  had  the  advantage  of  posi 
tion,  the  whites  stopped  short,  lashed  their  canoes  to 
gether,  fastened  them  to  a  rock  at  a  small  distance  from 
the  shore,  and  there  awaited  the  menaced  attack.  Soon 
the  war-chief  and  three  of  his  warriors  drew  near  in 
a  canoe  and  informed  them  that  the  relations  of  the 
slain  cried  out  for  vengeance.  As  he  wished  to  spare 
unnecessary  bloodshed,  he  proposed  that  Mr.  Reed, 
who  was  little  better  than  a  dead  man,  might  be  given 
up  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  manes  of  the  dead.  The 
hatchet  would  then  be  buried,  and  all  thenceforward 
would  be  friends.  The  answer,  a  refusal  and  a  stern 
defiance,  sent  the  chief  back  to  his  warriors  among  the 
rocks.  Blood  for  blood  is  a  principle  in  Indian  equity 
and  Indian  honour;  but  though  the  inhabitants  of 
Wish-ram  were  men  of  war,  they  were  likewise  men  of 
traffic;  and,  after  some  diplomacy,  they  offered  to  com 
promise  the  matter  for  a  blanket  to  cover  the  dead,  and 
some  tobacco  to  be  smoked  by  the  living.  This  being 


74  The  Fur  Traders 

granted,  the  heroes  of  Wish-ram  crossed  the  river  once 
more,  returned  to  their  villages  to  feast  upon  the 
horses  whose  blood  they  had  so  vaingloriously  drunk, 
and  the  travellers  pursued  their  voyage  without  further 
molestation. 

The  tin  case,  however,  containing  the  important  de 
spatches  for  New  York,  was  irretrievably  lost;  the  very 
precaution  taken  by  Reed  to  secure  his  missives  had, 
by  rendering  them  conspicuous,  produced  their  rob 
bery.  The  object  of  his  overland  journey,  therefore, 
being  defeated,  he  gave  up  the  expedition,  and  went 
with  the  whole  party  to  the  establishment  of  Mr.  David 
Stuart,  on  the  Okanagan  River.  After  remaining 
here  two  or  three  days,  they  all  set  out  on  their  return 
to  Astoria,  accompanied  by  Mr.  David  Stuart. 

On  their  way  down,  when  below  the  forks  of  the 
Columbia,  they  were  hailed  one  day  from  the  shore  in 
English.  Looking  around,  they  descried  two  wretched 
men,  entirely  naked,  who  proved  to  be  Mr.  Crooks  and 
his  faithful  follower,  John  Day. 

The  reader  will  recollect  that  Mr.  Crooks,  with  Day 
and  four  Canadians,  had  been  so  reduced  by  famine 
and  fatigue,  that  Mr.  Hunt  was  obliged  to  leave  them, 
in  the  month  of  December,  on  the  banks  of  the  Snake 
River.  Their  situation  was  the  more  critical,  as  they 
were  in  the  neighbourhood  of  a  band  of  Shoshonies, 
whose  horses  had  been  forcibly  seized  by  Mr.  Hunt's 
party  for  provisions.  Mr.  Crooks  remained  here  twenty 
days,  detained  by  the  extremely  reduced  state  of  John 
Day,  who  was  utterly  unable  to  travel,  and  whom  he 
would  not  abandon,  as  Day  had  been  in  his  employ 
on  the  Missouri,  and  had  always  proved  himself  most 
faithful.  Fortunately  the  Shoshonies  did  not  offer  to 
molest  them.  They  had  never  before  seen  white  men, 


The  Indians  of  Wish-ram  75 

and  seemed  to  entertain  some  supersitions  with  regard 
to  them,  for  though  they  would  encamp  near  them  in 
the  daytime,  they  would  move  off  with  their  tents  in 
the  night;  and  finally  disappeared,  without  taking  leave. 

When  Day  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  travel,  they 
kept  feebly  on,  sustaining  themselves  as  well  as  they 
could.  At  length,  coming  to  a  low  prairie,  they  lost 
every  appearance  of  the  "  trail,"  and  wandered  during 
the  remainder  of  the  winter  in  the  mountains,  subsist 
ing  sometimes  on  horse  meat,  sometimes  on  beavers 
and  their  skins,  and  a  part  of  the  time  on  roots.  At 
length,  finding  the  snow  sufficiently  diminished,  they 
undertook  to  cross  the  last  mountain  ridge,  and  happi'ty 
succeeded,  afterwards  falling  in  with  the  Walla- Wallas, 
a  tribe  inhabiting  the  banks  of  the  river  of  the  same 
name,  and  reputed  as  being  frank,  hospitable,  and  sin 
cere.  They  proved  worthy  of  the  character,  for  they 
received  the  poor  wanderers  kindly,  killed  a  horse  for 
them  to  eat,  and  directed  them  on  their  way  to  the 
Columbia.  They  struck  the  river  about  the  middle  of 
April,  and  advanced  down  it  until  they  met  with  some 
of  the  "  chivalry  "  of  Wish-ram,  who  received  them  in 
a  friendly  way,  and  set  food  before  them;  but,  while 
they  were  satisfying  their  hunger,  perfidiously  seized 
their  rifles,  stripped  them  naked,  and  drove  them  off, 
refusing  the  entreaties  of  Mr.  Crooks  for  a  flint  and 
steel  of  which  they  had  robbed  him;  and  threatening 
his  life  if  he  did  not  instantly  depart. 

In  this  forlorn  plight  they  now  sought  to  find  their 
way  back  to  the  hospitable  Walla-Wallas,  and  had  ad 
vanced  eighty  miles  along  the  river,  when  fortunately, 
on  the  very  morning  that  they  were  going  to  leave  the 
Columbia  and  strike  inland,  the  canoes  of  Mr.  Stuart 
hove  in  sight. 


76  The  Fur  Traders 

It  is  needless  to  describe  the  joy  of  these  poor  men 
at  once  more  finding  themselves  among  countrymen 
and  friends,  or  of  the  honest  and  hearty  welcome  with 
which  they  were  received  by  their  fellow  adventurers. 
The  whole  party  now  continued  down  the  river,  passed 
all  the  dangerous  places  without  interruption,  and 
arrived  safely  at  Astoria  on  the  nth  of  May,  the  day 
after  the  annual  ship  arrived  there  from  New  York. 

Although  Mr.  Astor  had  as  yet  heard  nothing  of  the 
success  of  the  previous  expeditions,  he  proceeded  upon 
the  presumption  that  everything  had  been  effected  ac 
cording  to  his  instructions.  He  accordingly  fitted  out 
a  fine  ship  of  four  hundred  and  ninety  tons,  called  the 
Beaver,  and  freighted  her  with  a  valuable  cargo  destined 
for  the  factory  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  the  trade 
along  the  coast,  and  the  supply  of  the  Russian  estab 
lishment.  In  this  ship  embarked  a  reinforcement,  con 
sisting  of  a  partner,  Mr.  John  Clarke,  five  clerks,  fif 
teen  American  labourers,  and  six  Canadian  voyageurs. 

On  October  10,  1811,  the  Beaver  \o.lt  New  York,  ar 
rived  off  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  the  6th  of  May, 
1812,  and,  running  as  near  as  possible,  fired  two  signal 
guns.  No  answer  was  returned,  nor  was  there  any 
signal  to  be  descried.  Night  coming  on,  the  ship 
stood  out  to  sea,  and  every  heart  drooped  as  the  land 
faded  away.  On  the  following  morning  they  again 
ran  in  within  four  miles  of  the  shore,  and  fired  other 
signal  guns,  but  still  without  reply.  A  boat  was  then 
despatched,  to  sound  the  channel,  and  attempt  an  en 
trance;  but  returned  without  success,  there  being  a 
tremendous  swell  and  breakers.  Signal  guns  were 
fired  again  in  the  evening,  but  equally  in  vain,  and 
once  more  the  ship  stood  off  to  sea  for  the  night.  The 
Captain  now  gave  up  all  hope  of  finding  any  establish- 


The  Indians  of  Wish-ram  77 

ment  at  the  place,  and  indulged  in  the  most  gloomy 
apprehensions.  He  feared  his  predecessors  had  been 
massacred  before  they  had  reached  their  place  of  destin 
ation;  or  if  they  had  erected  a  factory,  that  it  had  been 
surprised  and  destroyed  by  the  natives. 

The  next  morning  the  ship  stood  in  for  the  third 
time,  and  fired  three  signal  guns,  when,  to  the  great 
joy  of  the  crew,  three  distinct  guns  were  heard  in 
answer,  and  a  white  flag  was  hoisted  on  Cape  Disap 
pointment.  Captain  Sowle,  however,  recollected  the 
instructions  given  him  by  Mr.  Astor,  and  determined 
to  proceed  with  great  circumspection,  being  well  aware 
of  Indian  treachery  and  cunning. 

On  the  following  morning,  May  gth,  the  vessel  came 
to  anchor  off  the  cape,  outside  of  the  bar.  Towards 
noon  an  Indian  canoe  was  seen  making  for  the  ship, 
and  a  few  moments  afterwards,  a  barge  was  perceived 
following  it.  The  hopes  and  fears  of  those  on  board 
of  the  ship  were  in  tumultuous  agitation  as  the  boat 
drew  nigh  that  was  to  let  them  know  the  fortunes  of 
the  enterprise  and  the  fate  of  their  predecessors.  The 
Captain,  on  the  other  hand,  did  not  let  his  curiosity  get 
the  better  of  his  caution,  but  kept  his  men  under  arms 
to  receive  the  visitors,  those  in  the  canoe  proving  to  be 
Comcomly  and  six  Indians,  in  the  barge  M'Dougal, 
M'Lellan,  and  eight  Canadians.  In  a  moment  all  fears 
were  dispelled,  and  the  Beaver,  crossing  the  bar  under 
their  pilotage,  anchored  safely  in  Baker's  Bay. 

The  arrival  of  the  Beaver  with  a  reinforcement  and 
supplies  gave  new  life  and  vigour  to  affairs  at  Astoria. 
These  were  means  for  extending  the  operations  of  the 
establishment,  and  founding  interior  trading-posts. 
Two  parties  were  immediately  set  on  foot  to  proceed 
severally  under  the  command  of  Messrs.  M'Kenzie  and 


78  The  Fur  Traders 

Clarke,  and  establish  posts  above  the  forks  of  the 
Columbia,  at  points  where  most  rivalry  and  opposition 
were  apprehended  from  the  Northwest  Company. 

A  third  party,  headed  by  Mr.  David  Stuart,  was  to 
repair  with  supplies  to  the  post  of  that  gentleman  on 
the  Okanagan.  In  addition  to  these  expeditions,  a 
fourth  was  necessary  to  convey  despatches  to  Mr.  Astor, 
at  New  York,  in  place  of  those  unfortunately  lost  by 
John  Reed.  The  safe  conveyance  of  these  despatches 
was  highly  important,  as  by  them  Mr.  Astor  would 
receive  an  account  of  the  state  of  the  factory,  and  regu 
late  his  reinforcements  and  supplies  accordingly.  The 
mission,  one  of  peril  and  hardship,  was  confided  to 
Robert  Stuart,  who,  though  he  had  never  been  across 
the  mountains,  and  a  very  young  man,  had  given 
proofs  of  his  competency  to  the  task.  Four  trusty  and 
well-tried  men,  who  had  come  overland  in  Mr.  Hunt's 
expedition,  were  given  him  as  his  guides  and  hunters. 
Mr.  M'lyellan  expressed  his  determination  to  take  this 
opportunity  of  returning  to  the  Atlantic  States,  a  re 
solve  in  which  he  was  joined  by  Mr.  Crooks,  who  was 
ready  to  retrace  his  steps  and  brave  every  danger  and 
hardship,  rather  than  remain  at  Astoria. 

The  several  parties  we  have  mentioned  all  set  off  in 
company  on  the  2Qth  of  June,  under  a  salute  of  cannon 
from  the  fort.  Their  number,  collectively,  was  nearly 
sixty,  consisting  of  partners  and  clerks,  Canadian  voy- 
ageurs,  Sandwich  Islanders,  and  American  hunters; 
and  they  embarked  in  two  barges  and  ten  canoes. 

After  the  departure  of  the  different  brigades,  the 
Beaver  prepared  for  her  voyage  along  the  coast,  and 
her  visit  to  the  Russian  establishment  at  New  Arch 
angel,  where  she  was  to  carry  supplies.  It  had  been 
determined  in  the  council  of  partners  at  Astoria  that 


The  Indians  of  Wish-ram  79 

Mr.  Hunt  should  embark  in  this  vessel,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  acquainting  himself  with  the  coasting  trade, 
and  of  making  arrangements  with  the  commander  of 
the  Russian  post,  and  that  he  should  be  relanded  in 
October  at  Astoria  by  the  Beaver,  on  her  way  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands  and  Canton. 

The  month  of  October  elapsed  without  the  return  of 
the  Beaver.  November,  December,  January  passed 
away,  and  still  nothing  was  seen  or  heard  of  her. 
Gloomy  apprehensions  now  began  to  be  entertained. 
M'Dougal,  who  had  now  the  charge  of  the  establish 
ment,  no  longer  evinced  the  bustling  confidence  and 
buoyancy  which  once  characterised  him,  for  he  gave 
way  to  the  most  abject  despondency,  decrying  the 
whole  enterprise,  and  foreboding  nothing  but  evil. 

While  in  this  moody  state,  he  \vas  surprised,  on  the 
i6th  of  January,  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  M'Ken- 
zie,  wayworn  and  weather-beaten  by  a  long  wintry 
journey  from  his  post  on  the  Shahaptan.  M'Kenzie 
had  been  heartily  disgusted  and  disappointed  at  his 
post.  It  was  in  the  midst  of  the  Tushepaws,  a  power 
ful  and  warlike  nation  divided  into  many  tribes,  under 
different  chiefs,  who  possessed  innumerable  horses, 
but,  not  having  turned  their  attention  to  beaver  trap 
ping,  had  no  furs  to  offer. 

In  this  emergency  M'Kenzie  began  to  think  of  aban 
doning  his  unprofitable  post,  sending  his  goods  to  the 
posts  of  Clarke  and  David  Stuart,  who  could  make  a 
better  use  of  them,  as  they  were  in  a  good  beaver 
country,  and  returning  with  his  party  to  Astoria,  to 
seek  some  better  destination.  With  this  intention  he 
made  his  way  to  the  post  of  Mr.  Clarke,  with  whom 
he  was  in  conference  when  Mr.  McTavish,  a  partner 
of  the  Northwest  Company,  who  had  charge  of  the 


8o  The  Fur  Traders 

rival  trading-posts  in  that  neighbourhood,  came  bust 
ling  in  upon  them.  He  had  just  received  an  express 
from  Canada,  containing  the  declaration  of  war  and 
President  Madison's  proclamation,  and  he  capped  the 
climax  of  this  obliging  but  warlike  news  by  inform 
ing  them  that  he  was  ordered  to  join  the  British  armed 
ship  Isaac  Todd  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  about 
the  beginning  of  March  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  the 
American  post  and  of  getting  possession  of  the  river 
trade. 

This  news  determined  M'Kenzie,  who  immediately 
returned  to  the  Shahaptan,  broke  up  his  establishment, 
deposited  his  goods  in  caches,  and  hastening  with  all  his 
people  to  Astoria,  brought  dismay  to  M'Dougal.  They 
both  gave  up  all  hope  of  maintaining  their  post  at  As 
toria,  fearing  the  loss  of  the  Beaver;  they  could  receive 
no  aid  from  the  United  States,  as  all  the  ports  would  be 
blockaded;  and  from  England  nothing  could  be  ex 
pected  but  hostility.  It  was  determined,  therefore,  to 
abandon  the  establishment  in  the  course  of  the  follow 
ing  spring,  and  return  across  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

In  the  meantime,  M'Kenzie  set  off  for  his  post  at 
the  Shahaptan,  to  get  his  goods  from  the  caches,  and 
buy  horses  and  provisions  with  them  for  the  caravan 
across  the  mountains.  He  was  charged  with  des 
patches  from  M'Dougal  to  Messrs.  Stuart  and  Clarke, 
apprising  them  of  the  intended  migration,  that  they 
might  make  timely  preparations.  He  and  his  men 
ascended  the  river  without  any  incident  of  importance, 
until  they  arrived  in  the  eventful  neighbourhood  of  the 
rapids.  They  made  the  portage  of  the  narrows  and 
the  falls  early  in  an  afternoon,  and,  having  partaken 
of  a  scanty  meal,  had  a  long  evening  on  their  hands. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  lay  the  village  of 


The  Indians  of  Wish-ram  81 

Wish-ram,  of  freebooting  renown,  where  lived  the  sav 
ages  who  had  maltreated  Reed,  and  robbed  him 
of  his  tin  box  of  despatches,  and  who  still  retained 
his  rifle  as  a  trophy.  M'Kenzie  offered  to  cross  the 
river  and  demand  the  rifle,  if  any  one  would  accom 
pany  him.  It  was  a  hare-brained  project;  yet  two 
volunteers  promptly  stepped  forward:  Alfred  Seton, 
the  clerk,  and  Joe  de  la  Pierre,  the  cook.  On  landing, 
the  trio  freshly  primed  their  rifles  and  pistols,  and 
ascended  to  the  village  along  a  path  winding  for  about 
a  hundred  yards  among  rocks  and  crags.  Not  a  soli 
tary  being,  man,  woman,  or  child,  greeted  them,  until, 
on  entering  the  village,  a  boy  made  his  appearance  and 
pointed  to  a  house  of  larger  dimensions  than  the  rest. 
They  had  to  stoop  when  they  entered  it,  and  in  an  in 
stant  they  found  themselves  in  a  large,  rude  chamber 
around  which  a  large  number  of  Indians  were  squatted 
in  rows.  A  single  glance  sufficed  to  show  the  three 
the  grim  and  dangerous  assembly  into  which  they  had 
intruded,  and  that  retreat  was  cut  off  by  the  men 
who  blocked  up  the  entrance. 

When  the  chief  had  motioned  for  them  to  take  their 
seats,  a  dead  pause  ensued.  The  grim  warriors  around 
sat  like  statues,  each  muffled  in  his  robe,  with  his  fierce 
eyes  bent  on  the  intruders. 

"Keep  your  eyes  on  the  chief  while  I  am  addressing 
him,"  said  M'Kenzie  to  his  companions.  "Should  he 
give  any  sign  to  his  band,  shoot  him  and  make  for  the 
door." 

He  then  made  a  regular  speech,  explaining  the  ob 
ject  of  their  visit,  and  proposing  to  give  in  exchange 
for  the  rifle  two  blankets,  an  axe,  some  beads  and  to 
bacco.  When  he  had  done,  the  chief  began  to  address 
him  in  a  low  voice,  but  ended  by  working  himself  up 

6 


82  The  Fur  Traders 

into  a  furious  passion.  He  upbraided  the  white  men 
for  their  sordid  conduct  in  passing  and  repassing 
through  their  neighbourhood  without  giving  them  a 
blanket  or  any  other  article  of  goods,  merely  because 
they  had  no  furs  to  barter  in  exchange,  and  he  alluded, 
with  menaces  of  vengeance,  to  the  death  of  the  Indian 
killed  by  the  whites  in  the  skirmish  at  the  falls. 

As  the  speaker  proceeded,  M'Kenzie  and  his  com 
panions  gradually  rose  on  their  feet  and  brought  their 
rifles  to  a  horizontal  position,  the  muzzle  of  M'Kenzie's 
piece  being  within  three  feet  of  the  speaker's  heart. 
They  cocked  their  rifles  and  coolly  advanced  to  the 
door,  the  Indians  falling  back  in  awe  and  suffering 
them  to  pass.  As  they  emerged  from  this  dangerous 
den,  they  took  the  precaution  to  keep  along  the  tops  of 
the  rocks  on  their  way  back  to  the  canoe,  and  reached 
their  camp  in  safety,  congratulating  themselves  on 
their  escape,  and  feeling  no  desire  to  make  a  second 
visit  to  the  grim  warriors  of  Wish-ram. 

M'Kenzie  and  his  party  resumed  their  journey  the 
next  morning.  At  some  distance  above  the  falls  of 
the  Columbia,  they  met  two  bark  canoes  coming  down 
the  river  to  the  full  chant  of  a  set  of  Canadian  voy- 
ageurs.  It  was  a  detachment  of  Northwesters,  under 
the  command  of  Mr.  John  George  M'Tavish,  bound, 
full  of  song  and  spirit,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 
to  await  the  arrival  of  the  Isaac  Todd, 

M'Kenzie  and  M'Tavish  came  to  a  halt  and  en 
camped  together  for  the  night.  The  voyageurs  of 
either  party  hailed  each  other  as  brothers  and  old 
"comrades,"  and  they  mingled  together  as  if  united 
by  one  common  interest,  instead  of  belonging  to  rival 
companies  and  trading  under  hostile  flags. 

In  the  morning  they  proceeded  on  their  different 


The  Indians  of  Wish-ram  83 

ways,  in  style  corresponding  to  their  different  fortunes: 
the  one  toiling  painfully  against  the  stream,  the  other 
sweeping  down  gaily  with  the  current. 

M'Kenzie  arrived  safely  at  his  deserted  post  on  the 
Shahaptan,  but  found,  to  his  chagrin,  that  his  caches 
had  been  discovered  and  rifled  by  the  Indians.  He 
sent  out  men  in  all  directions  to  endeavour  to  discover 
the  thieves,  and  despatched  a  messenger  to  the  posts 
of  Messrs.  Clarke  and  David  Stuart,  with  the  letters 
of  Mr.  M'Dougal.  These  two  gentlemen  had  been 
very  successful  at  their  posts,  and  considered  it  rash  to 
abandon,  on  the  first  difficulty,  an  enterprise  of  such 
great  cost  and  ample  promise.  They  made  no  arrange 
ments,  therefore,  for  leaving  the  country,  but  acted 
with  a  view  to  the  maintenance  of  their  new  and  pros 
perous  establishments. 

As  the  regular  time  approached  when  the  partners 
of  the  interior  posts  were  to  rendezvous  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Walla- Walla,  on  their  way  to  Astoria,  with  the 
peltries  they  had  collected,  Mr.  Clarke  packed  all  his 
furs,  and,  leaving  a  clerk  and  four  men  to  take  charge 
of  the  post,  departed  on  the  25th  of  May  with  the  resi 
due  of  his  force.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Walla- Walla  he 
found  Messrs.  Stuart  and  M'Kenzie  awaiting  them; 
the  latter  having  recovered  part  of  the  goods  stolen 
from  his  caches.  The  parties  thus  united  formed  a 
squadron  of  two  boats  and  six  canoes,  with  which  they 
performed  their  voyage  in  safety  down  the  river,  and 
arrived  at  Astoria  on  the  1 2th  of  June,  bringing  with 
them  a  valuable  stock  of  peltries. 


CHAPTER  X 

LOVE    AND    WAR 

THE  partners  found  Mr.  M'Dougal  in  all  the  bustle 
of  preparation;  having  about  nine  days  pre 
viously  announced  at  the  factory  his  intention  of  break 
ing  up  the  establishment,  and  fixed  upon  the  ist  of  July 
for  the  time  of  departure.  His  old  sympathies  with  the 
Northwest  Company  seemed  to  have  revived.  He  had 
received  M'Tavish  and  his  party  as  though  they  were 
friends  and  allies,  instead  of  being  a  party  of  observa 
tion,  come  to  reconnoitre  the  state  of  affairs  at  Astoria, 
and  to  await  the  arrival  of  a  hostile  ship.  For  had 
they  been  left  to  themselves,  they  would  have  been 
starved  off  for  want  of  provisions,  or  driven  away  by 
the  Chinooks,  who  only  wanted  a  signal  from  the  fac 
tory  to  treat  them  as  intruders  and  enemies. 

M'Dougal  was  sorely  disappointed  at  finding  that 
Messrs.  Stuart  and  Clarke  had  omitted  to  comply  with 
his  request  to  purchase  horses  and  provisions  for  the 
caravan  across  the  mountains,  for  it  was  now  too  late 
to  make  the  necessary  preparations  in  time  for  travers 
ing  the  mountains  before  winter.  In  the  meantime, 
the  non-arrival  of  the  annual  ship  and  the  probable  loss 
of  the  Beaver  and  of  Mr.  Hunt  had  their  effect  upon 
the  minds  of  Messrs.  Stuart  and  Clarke,  who  with 
much  reluctance  at  last  consented  to  the  plan  of  aban 
doning  the  country  in  the  ensuing  year. 

84 


Love  and  War  85 

Having  made  their  arrangement,  the  four  partners, 
on  the  ist  of  July,  signed  a  formal  manifesto,  stating 
the  alarming  state  of  their  affairs,  and  as  by  the  com 
pany's  agreement  they  were  authorised  to  abandon 
this  undertaking  and  dissolve  the  concern  if  it  should 
be  found  unprofitable,  they  now  formally  announced 
their  intention  to  do  so  on  the  ist  day  of  June,  of  the 
ensuing  year,  unless  in  the  interim  they  should  receive 
the  necessary  support  and  supplies  from  Mr.  Astor,  or 
the  stockholders,  with  orders  to  continue. 

This  instrument,  accompanied  by  private  letters  of 
similar  import,  was  delivered  to  Mr.  M'Tavish,  who 
departed  on  the  5th  of  July.  He  engaged  to  forward 
the  despatches  to  Mr.  Astor  by  the  usual  winter  ex 
press  sent  overland  by  the  Northwest  Company. 

Somewhat  later  in  this  same  month  of  July,  M'Dou- 
gal  suddenly  conceived  the  idea  of  seeking  in  marriage 
the  daughter  of  Comcomly,  the  one-eyed  potentate 
who  held  sway  over  the  fishing  tribe  of  Chinooks,  and 
had  long  supplied  the  factory  with  smelts  and  stur 
geons.  Now,  Comcomly  was  a  great  friend  of  M '  Dougal , 
and  pleased  with  the  idea  of  having  so  distinguished  a 
son-in-law;  but  so  favourable  a  chance  to  benefit  his 
own  fortune  was  not  likely  to  occur  again,  and  must  be 
made  the  most  of. 

At  length  the  preliminaries  were  all  happily  adjusted. 
On  the  2oth  of  July,  early  in  the  afternoon,  a  squadron 
of  canoes  crossed  over  from  the  village  of  the  Chinooks, 
bearing  the  royal  family  of  Comcomly  and  all  his 
court.  A  horse  was  in  waiting  to  receive  the  princess, 
who  was  mounted  behind  one  of  the  clerks,  and  thus 
conveyed  to  the  fortress,  where  she  was  received  by 
her  expectant  bridegroom.  After  copious  ablutions  had 
freed  her  from  the  paints  and  ointments  of  her  bridal 


86  The  Fur  Traders 

toilet,  she  entered  the  nuptial  state,  the  cleanest  prin 
cess  that  had  ever  been  known  of  the  somewhat  unctu 
ous  tribe  of  the  Chinooks. 

The  honeymoon  had  scarce  passed  away  when,  about 
noon  of  the  2oth  of  August,  a  ship  was  reported  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river — a  bit  of  news  that  produced  a  vast 
sensation.  Was  it  the  Beaver  or  the  Isaac  Todd?  Was 
it  peace  or  war  ?  When  at  length  the  American  flag 
was  recognised  by  the  straining  eyes  on  shore,  a  great 
shout  expressed  the  first  joy  of  all,  and  then  a  welcome 
was  thundered  from  the  cannon  of  the  fort ;  for  it  was 
an  American  ship,  though  a  strange  one,  and  on  it  was 
Mr.  Hunt.  Mr.  Hunt  was  hailed  as  one  risen  from 
the  dead,  and  his  return  was  a  signal  for  merriment 
almost  equal  to  that  which  prevailed  at  the  nuptials 
of  M'Dougal. 

The  Beaver,  after  she  had  sailed  from  Astoria  on  the 
4th  of  August,  1812,  met  with  nothing  worthy  of  par 
ticular  mention  in  her  voyage,  and  arrived  at  New 
Archangel  on  the  igth  of  August.  The  place  at  that 
time  was  the  residence  of  Count  Baranhoff,  the  gover 
nor  of  the  different  colonies;  a  rough,  rugged,  hospit 
able,  hard-drinking  old  Russian ;  somewhat  of  a  soldier, 
somewhat  of  a  trader;  above  all,  a  boon  companion. 

The  greatest  annoyance  to  Mr.  Hunt,  however,  was 
the  delay  to  which  he  was  subjected,  for  with  all  the 
governor's  devotions  to  the  bottle,  he  never  lost  sight 
of  his  own  interest,  and  was  as  keen,  not  to  say  crafty, 
at  a  bargain  as  the  most  arrant  water-drinker.  To 
add  to  the  delay  Mr.  Hunt  was  to  be  paid  for  his  cargo 
in  seal  skins,  for  which  he  must  proceed  to  a  seal- 
catching  establishment,  which  the  Russian  company 
had  at  the  island  of  St.  Paul,  in  the  Sea  of  Kamtschatka. 
Setting  sail  thither,  after  having  spent  forty-five  days 


Love  and  War  87 

at  New  Archangel  boosing  and  bargaining  with  its 
roystering  commander,  he  arrived  at  St.  Paul  on  the 
3ist  of  October;  by  which  time,  according  to  arrange 
ment,  he  ought  to  have  been  back  at  Astoria.  The 
operation  of  loading  the  ship  was  somewhat  slow,  for  it 
was  necessary  to  overhaul  and  inspect  every  pack  of 
skins,  to  prevent  imposition,  and  the  peltries  had  then 
to  be  conveyed  in  large  boats  to  the  ship,  which  was 
some  little  distance  from  the  shore,  standing  off  and 
on.  It  happened  one  night,  while  Mr.  Hunt  was  on 
shore  with  some  of  the  crew,  there  arose  a  terrible  gale 
that  drove  the  ship  far  off  to  sea. 

At  length,  on  the  i3th  of  November,  the  Beaver 
made  her  appearance,  badly  damaged  in  her  canvas 
and  rigging.  Mr.  Hunt  lost  no  time  in  hurrying  the 
residue  of  the  cargo  on  board  of  her;  then,  bidding 
adieu  to  his  seal-fishing  friends  and  his  whalebone 
habitation,  he  put  forth  once  more  to  sea. 

He  was  now  for  making  the  best  of  his  way  to  As 
toria,  and  fortunate  would  it  have  been  for  the  interests 
of  that  place,  and  the  interests  of  Mr.  Astor,  had  he 
done  so;  but,  unluckily,  a  perplexing  question  rose  in 
his  mind.  Would  the  ship  be  able  to  stand  the  hard 
gales  to  be  expected  in  making  Columbia  River  at  this 
season  ?  Was  it  prudent  also  at  this  boisterous  time 
of  the  year  to  risk  the  valuable  cargo  which  she  now 
had  on  board,  by  crossing  and  recrossing  the  dangerous 
bar  of  that  river  ?  Further,  the  lateness  of  the  season 
and  the  unforeseen  delays  the  ship  had  encountered  at 
New  Archangel,  and  by  being  obliged  to  proceed  to 
St.  Paul,  had  put  her  so  much  back  in  her  calculated 
time  that  there  was  a  risk  of  her  arriving  so  late  at 
Canton  as  to  come  to  a  bad  market,  both  for  the  sale 
of  her  peltries  and  the  purchase  of  a  return  cargo.  He 


88  The  Fur  Traders 

considered  it  to  the  interest  of  the  company,  therefore, 
that  he  should  proceed  at  once  to  the  Sandwich  Islands; 
there  await  the  arrival  of  the  annual  vessel  from  New 
York,  take  passage  in  her  to  Astoria,  and  suffer  the 
Beaver  to  continue  on  to  Canton. 

Mr.  Hunt  persuaded  himself  that  it  was  a  matter  of 
necessity,  and  that  the  distressed  condition  of  the  ship 
left  him  no  alternative.  They  accordingly  stood  for 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  the  ship  underwent  the 
necessary  repairs,  and  again  put  to  sea  on  the  ist  of 
January,  1813,  leaving  Mr.  Hunt  at  the  islands.  The 
Beaver  arrived  safe  at  Canton,  where  she  was  laid  up 
to  await  the  return  of  peace. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Mr.  Hunt  soon  saw  reason  to  re 
pent  the  resolution  he  had  adopted  in  altering  the 
destination  of  the  ship.  His  stay  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands  was  prolonged  far  beyond  all  expectation.  At 
length,  about  the  2Oth  of  June,  the  ship  Albatross 
arrived  from  China,  bringing  the  first  tidings  of  the 
war  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Mr.  Hunt  was  no  longer 
in  doubt  and  perplexity  as  to  the  reason  of  the  non- 
appearance  of  the  annual  ship,  and,  concluding  that 
the  Astorians  would  be  in  want  of  provisions,  he  char 
tered  the  Albatross  for  two  thousand  dollars  to  land 
him,  with  some  supplies,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Colum 
bia,  where  he  arrived  after  a  year's  seafaring,  on  the 
2Oth  of  August. 

Mr.  Hunt  was  overwhelmed  with  surprise  when  he 
learnt  the  resolution  taken  by  the  partners  to  abandon 
Astoria.  He  soon  found,  however,  that  matters  had 
gone  too  far,  and  the  minds  of  his  colleagues  had  be 
come  too  firmly  bent  upon  the  measure,  to  render  any 
opposition  of  avail.  He  was  beset,  too,  with  the  same 
disparaging  accounts  of  the  interior  trade  and  of  the 


Love  and  War  89 

whole  concerns  and  prospects  of  the  company  that  had 
been  rendered  to  Mr.  Astor.  His  own  experience  had 
been  full  of  perplexities  and  discouragements.  By 
degrees,  therefore,  he  was  brought  to  acquiesce  in  the 
step  taken  by  his  colleagues,  as  perhaps  advisable 
under  the  circumstances;  his  only  care  was  to  wind  up 
the  business  with  as  little  further  loss  as  possible  to  Mr. 
Astor.  A  large  stock  of  valuable  furs  must  be  got  to  a 
market;  and  the  twenty-five  Sandwich  Islanders  in  the 
employ  of  the  company  must  be  restored  to  their  native 
country.  For  these  purposes  he  must  seek  a  ship,  as 
the  present  one  was  not  available,  being  bound  to  the 
Marquesas. 

Having  arranged  matters  during  a  sojourn  of  six  days 
at  Astoria,  Mr.  Hunt  set  sail  again  in  the  Albatross  on 
the  26th  of  August,  and  arrived  without  accident  at  the 
Marquesas.  He  had  not  been  there  long  when  Porter 
arrived  in  the  frigate  Essex,  bringing  in  a  number  of 
stout  London  whalers  as  prizes,  having  made  a  sweep 
ing  cruise  in  the  Pacific.  From  Commodore  Porter  he 
received  the  alarming  intelligence  that  the  British 
frigate  Phoebe,  with  a  storeship  mounting  several  pieces, 
had  arrived  at  Rio  Janeiro,  where  she  had  been  joined 
by  the  sloops  of  war  Cherub  and  Raccoon,  and  that  they 
had  all  sailed  in  company  on  the  6th  of  July,  for  the 
Pacific  bound  to  the  Columbia  River. 

In  this  tantalising  state  of  suspense,  Mr.  Hunt  was 
detained  at  the  Marquesas  until  November  23d,  when  he 
proceeded  in  the  Albatross  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
He  still  cherished  a  faint  hope  that,  notwithstanding 
the  war  and  all  other  discouraging  circumstances,  the 
annual  ship  might  have  been  sent  by  Mr.  Astor,  and 
might  have  touched  at  the  islands  and  proceeded  to 
the  Columbia.  In  this  he  did  but  justice  to  Mr.  Astor; 


go  The  Fur  Traders 

for  he  found  at  Honolulu  a  remnant  of  the  crew  of  the 
annual  ship,  and  learned  from  the  captain  of  the  Lark, 
as  she  was  called,  how  her  prosperous  voyage  had 
ended  in  storm  and  wreck  near  those  islands,  to  which 
they  drifted  after  much  exposure. 

Mr.  Hunt  immediately  purchased  a  brig  called  the 
Pedler,  and  put  Captain  Northrop  in  command  of  her, 
setting  sail  for  Astoria  on  the  226.  January,  and 
intending  to  remove  the  property  thence  to  the  Rus 
sian  settlements  on  the  north-west  coast,  to  prevent  it 
from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  British. 


CHAPTER  XI 

TREACHERY  OR  VALOUR  ? 

ABOUT  five  weeks  after  Mr.  Hunt  had  sailed  from 
Astoria,  Mr.  M'Kenzie  set  off  for  the  posts  of 
Messrs.  Stuart  and  Clarke,  to  apprise  them  of  the  new 
arrangements  determined  upon  in  the  recent  conference 
of  the  partners  at  the  factory.  He  had  not  ascended 
the  river  a  hundred  miles  when  he  met  a  squadron  of 
ten  canoes  commanded  by  M'Tavish  and  another  part 
ner  of  the  Northwest  Company.  With  them  Mr. 
Clarke  came  as  passenger,  the  alarming  news  having 
brought  him  down  from  his  post  on  the  Spokan; 
for  they  were  on  their  way  to  meet  a  British  frigate 
and  an  armed  transport  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia. 
Accordingly  Mr.  M'Kenzie  returned  too,  in  view  of  the 
crisis  that  had  been  reached. 

The  Northwest  Brigade,  seventy-five  strong,  reached 
Astoria  on  the  yth  of  October,  1813,  encamping  under 
the  guns  of  the  fort,  and  displaying  the  British  colours. 
On  the  next  day  the  visitors  proposed  to  M'Dougal  to 
purchase  the  entire  stock  of  goods  and  furs  belonging 
to  the  company,  both  at  Astoria  and  in  the  interior. 
They  made  their  demands  in  a  peremptory  tone,  and 
seemed  disposed  to  dictate  like  conquerors,  although 
they  had  lost  their  ammunition,  and  had  no  goods  to 
trade  with  the  natives  for  provisions.  In  fact,  they 
were  so  destitute  that  M'Dougal  had  absolutely  to  feed 

91 


92  The  Fur  Traders 

them,  while  he  negotiated  with  them.  He,  on  the 
contrary,  was  well  lodged  and  victualled;  had  sixty 
men,  with  arms,  ammunition,  boats,  and  everything 
requisite  either  for  defence  or  retreat.  The  party,  be 
neath  the  guns  of  his  fort,  were  at  his  mercy ;  should 
an  enemy  appear  in  the  offing,  he  could  pack  up  the 
most  valuable  part  of  the  property  and  retire  to  some 
place  of  concealment,  or  make  off  for  the  interior. 

To  the  great  indignation  of  the  native  Americans, 
these  considerations  had  no  weight  with  Mr.  M'Dou- 
gal,  or  were  overruled  by  other  motives.  The  terms  of 
sale  were  lowered  by  him  to  the  standard  fixed  by 
Messrs.  M'Tavish  and  Stuart,  and  an  agreement  was 
executed  on  the  i6th  of  October,  by  which  the  furs  and 
merchandise  of  all  kinds  in  the  country,  belonging  to 
Mr.  Astor,  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  Northwest 
Company  at  about  a  third  of  their  value.1  A  safe  pass 
age  through  the  Northwest  posts  was  guaranteed  to 
such  as  did  not  choose  to  enter  into  the  service  of  that 
company,  and  the  amount  of  wages  due  to  them  was 
to  be  deducted  from  the  price  paid  for  Astoria. 

The  conduct  and  motives  of  Mr.  M'Dougal  through 
out  the  whole  of  this  proceeding  were  strongly  ques 
tioned  by  the  other  partners.  He  always  insisted, 
however,  that  he  made  the  best  bargain  that  circum 
stances  would  permit;  the  frigate  being  hourly  ex 
pected  and  the  whole  property  liable  to  capture ; 
that  the  return  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  problematical,  the 
frigate  intending  to  cruise  along  the  coast  for  two 
years,  and  clear  it  of  all  American  vessels.  Of  these 

1  Not  quite  $40,000  was  allowed  for  furs  worth  upwards  of 
$100,000.  Moreover,  the  goods  and  merchandise  for  the  Indian 
trade  ought  to  have  brought  three  times  the  amount  for  which 
they  were  sold. 


Treachery  or  Valour  ?  93 

suspicions  this  only  can  be  said,  that  Mr.  M'Dougal, 
shortly  after  concluding  this  agreement,  became  a  mem 
ber  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  received  a  share 
productive  of  a  handsome  income. 

On  the  3oth  of  November,  a  ship  of  war,  which  proved 
to  be  the  British  sloop  of  war  Raccoon,  doubled  Cape 
Disappointment  and  came  to  anchor  in  Baker's  Bay. 
The  officers  of  the  Raccoon  were  in  high  spirits,  for  the 
agents  of  the  Northwest  Company,  in  instigating  the 
expedition,  had  talked  of  immense  booty  to  be  made  by 
the  fortunate  captors  of  Astoria,  so  that  not  a  midship 
man  but  revelled  in  dreams  of  ample  prize-money,  nor 
a  lieutenant  that  would  have  sold  his  chance  for  a 
thousand  pounds.  Their  disappointment,  therefore, 
may  easily  be  conceived  when  they  learned  that  their 
warlike  attack  upon  Astoria  had  been  forestalled  by  a 
snug  commercial  arrangement;  that  their  anticipated 
booty  had  become  British  property  in  the  regular 
course  of  traffic,  and  that  all  this  had  been  effected  by 
the  very  company  which  had  been  instrumental  in 
getting  them  sent  on  what  they  now  stigmatised  as  a 
fool's  errand.  They  felt  as  if  they  had  been  duped  and 
made  tools  of  by  a  set  of  shrewd  men  of  traffic,  who  had 
employed  them  to  crack  the  nut,  while  they  carried  off 
the  kernel.  In  a  word,  M'Dougal  found  himself  so 
ungraciously  received  by  his  countrymen  on  board  of 
the  ship  that  he  was  glad  to  cut  short  his  visit  and 
return  to  shore. 

Old  Comcomly  had  beheld,  with  dismay,  the  arrival 
of  a  "big  war  canoe"  displaying  the  British  flag. 
Trembling  for  the  power  of  his  white  son-in-law  and 
the  new-fledged  grandeur  of  his  daughter,  he  assembled 
his  warriors  in  all  haste.  "King  George,"  said  he, 
"  has  sent  his  great  canoe  to  destroy  the  fort  and  make 


94  The  Fur  Traders 

slaves  of  all  the  inhabitants.  Shall  we  suffer  it  ?  The 
Americans  are  the  first  white  men  that  have  fixed  them 
selves  in  the  land.  They  have  treated  us  like  brothers. 
Their  great  chief  has  taken  my  daughter  to  be  his 
squaw:  we  are,  therefore,  as  one  people." 

His  warriors  all  determined  to  stand  by  the  Ameri 
cans  to  the  last,  and  to  this  effect  they  came  painted 
and  armed  for  battle.  Comcomly  made  a  spirited  war- 
speech  to  his  son-in-law.  He  offered  to  kill  every  one 
of  King  George's  men  that  should  attempt  to  land.  It 
was  an  easy  matter.  The  ship  could  not  approach 
within  six  miles  of  the  fort;  the  crew  could  land  only 
in  boats.  The  woods  reached  to  the  water's  edge;  in 
these  he  and  his  warriors  would  conceal  themselves 
and  shoot  down  the  enemy  as  fast  as  they  put  foot  on 
shore. 

M'Dougal  assured  Comcomly,  however,  that  his 
solicitude  for  the  safety  of  himself  and  the  princess  was 
superfluous;  for,  though  the  ship  belonged  to  King 
George,  her  crew  would  not  injure  the  Americans  or 
their  Indian  allies.  He  advised  him  and  his  warriors, 
therefore,  to  lay  aside  their  weapons  and  war  shirts, 
wash  off  the  paint  from  their  faces  and  bodies,  and  ap 
pear  like  clean  and  civil  savages,  to  receive  the  strang 
ers  courteously. 

On  the  1 2th  of  December  the  fate  of  Astoria  was 
consummated  by  a  regular  ceremonial.  Captain  Black, 
attended  by  his  officers,  entered  the  fort,  caused  the 
British  standard  to  be  erected,  broke  a  bottle  of  wine, 
and  declared,  in  a  loud  voice,  that  he  took  possession 
of  the  establishment  and  of  the  country  in  the  name  of 
his  Britannic  Majesty,  changing  the  name  of  Astoria 
to  that  of  Fort  George. 

The  Indian  warriors  who  had  offered  their  services 


Treachery  or  Valour  ?  95 

to  repel  the  strangers  were  present  on  this  occasion. 
When  it  was  explained  to  them  as  being  a  friendly 
arrangement  and  transfer,  they  shook  their  heads 
grimly,  and  regretted  that  they  had  complied  with 
M'Dougal's  wishes  in  laying  aside  their  arms.  Com- 
comly  no  longer  prided  himself  upon  his  white  son-in- 
law,  but  said  that  his  daughter  had  made  a  mistake, 
and,  instead  of  getting  a  great  warrior  for  a  husband, 
had  married  herself  to  a  squaw. 

Events  had  moved  so  rapidly  that  when  Mr.  Hunt, 
on  the  brig  Pedler,  reached  Astoria  on  the  last  day  of 
February,  1813,  he  found  no  goods  or  furs  to  remove 
and  that  his  trusted  associate,  M'Dougal,  had  acted,  if 
not  a  perfidious,  certainly  a  craven  part.  With  diffi 
culty  he  secured  the  papers  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company ; 
and  then,  remitting  by  the  overland  party  to  Mr.  Astor 
the  drafts  on  the  Northwest  Company  by  which  the 
transfer  had  been  completed,  he  bade  a  final  adieu  to 
Astoria  on  the  3d  of  April,  1814. 

The  next  day  Messrs.  Clarke,  M'Kenzie,  David 
Stuart,  and  such  other  of  the  Astorians  as  had  not 
entered  the  service  of  the  Northwest  Company  set  out 
to  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains.  One  incident  of  their 
return  trip  is  worth  recounting  for  the  light  it  throws 
on  the  fate  of  several  men  already  mentioned  in  this 
story,  and  as  a  fitting  end  to  the  tragedy  of  Astoria. 

Near  the  mouth  of  the  Walla  Walla  they  were  hailed 
in  French  by  a  squaw  who  proved  to  be  the  wife  of 
Pierre  Dorion,  the  interpreter.  She  and  her  two  child 
ren  had,  as  usual,  accompanied  her  husband  during  the 
previous  summer,  when  he  was  assigned  as  hunter  to 
the  party  of  Mr.  John  Reed,  who  was  to  trap  along  the 
Snake  River.  During  the  autumn  the  party  lost  two 


96  The  Fur  Traders 

of  the  voyageurs,  one  by  death  and  the  other  by  deser 
tion,  but  the  numbers  were  increased  by  their  finding 
Robinson,  Hoback,  and  Rezner,  the  three  hunters  who 
had  been  detached  by  Mr.  Hunt  the  year  before. 

After  Reed  had  built  his  winter  quarters  on  the  Snake 
River,  he  divided  his  party  by  sending  Rezner,  L,e 
Clerc,  and  Dorion  a  five  days'  journey  away.  There 
they  built  a  hut  and  trapped  with  success,  Dorion's 
wife  dressing  the  skins  and  preparing  the  meals.  She 
was  thus  engaged  one  evening  early  in  January,  when 
Le  Clerc  staggered  into  the  hut,  pale  and  bleeding,  and 
with  scarcely  strength  left  to  tell  her  that  Rezner  and 
her  husband  had  been  surprised  and  killed,  while  at 
their  traps,  by  a  party  of  Indians. 

The  poor  woman  showed  instantly  that  presence  of 
mind  for  which  she  had  frequently  been  noted.  With 
great  difficulty  she  caught  two  of  the  horses,  helped 
the  wounded  man  on  one,  and  mounted  the  other  with 
her  two  children,  and  hurried  from  the  dangerous 
neighbourhood.  After  four  days  passed  in  utter  mis 
ery,  during  which  L,e  Clerc  died,  she  reached  Mr. 
Reed's  house,  only  to  find  it  the  scene  of  blood  and 
massacre.  In  fresh  horror  the  resolute  woman  kept  on 
until,  near  the  upper  waters  of  the  Walla  Walla  River, 
she  chose  a  lonely  ravine  for  her  winter  refuge.  She 
built  a  rude  wigwam  beside  a  mountain  spring,  and 
killed  her  horses  for  food,  dragging  out  the  winter 
thus  until  the  middle  of  March.  Then,  slinging  her 
pack  across  her  back,  she  trudged  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Walla  Walla,  where  she  was  well  treated  by  the  In 
dians  of  that  name,  and  had  been  among  them  nearly 
two  weeks  when  the  party  of  Astorians,  returning 
overland,  was  espied  and  hailed. 

The  narrative  of  the  Indian  woman  completed  the 


Treachery  or  Valour  ?  97 

tale  of  the  adventures  of  honest  John  Reed,  of  Pierre 
Dorion,  the  hybrid  interpreter,  and,  among  others,  of 
that  trio  of  Kentuckians,  Robinson,  Rezner,  and  Ho- 
back,  who  twice  turned  back,  when  on  their  homeward 
way,  and  lingered  in  the  wilderness  to  perish  by  the 
hands  of  savages. 

The  return  parties  from  Astoria,  both  by  land  and 
sea,  experienced  many  adventures  and  mishaps,  and 
reached  New  York  at  different  times,  bearing  to  Mr. 
Astor  tidings  of  the  unfortunate  end  of  his  enterprise. 

At  the  return  of  peace  in  1814,  Astoria  and  the  ad 
jacent  country  reverted  in  name  to  the  United  States 
on  the  principle  of  a  return  to  the  condition  existing 
before  the  war;  and  in  1816  Congress  passed  a  law 
prohibiting  all  traffic  of  British  traders  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  United  States.  This  measure  com 
pelled  the  Northwest  Company  to  part  with  such  of  its 
American  trade  as  centred  about  the  Great  Lakes;  but 
along  the  Columbia  River  and  its  chief  tributaries  the 
company  was  now  in  complete  occupation,  holding 
the  posts  which  Mr.  Astor  had  established,  and  carry 
ing  on  a  trade  throughout  the  neighbouring  region  in 
defiance  of  this  prohibitory  law,  which,  in  effect,  was  a 
dead  letter  beyond  the  mountains. 

The  ferocious  and  bloody  contests  which  had  taken 
place  between  the  rival  trading  parties  of  the  North 
west  and  Hudson  Bay  Companies  had  shown  what 
might  be  expected  from  commercial  feuds  in  the  law 
less  depths  of  the  wilderness.  Mr.  Astor  did  not  think 
it  advisable,  therefore,  to  attempt  the  revival  of  his 
favourite  enterprise  without  the  protection  of  the  Amer 
ican  flag,  under  which  his  people  might  rally  in  case  of 
need.  He  accordingly  made  an  informal  overture  to 


98  The  Fur  Traders 

the  President  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Madison, 
through  Mr.  Gallatin,  offering  to  renew  his  enterprise, 
and  to  re-establish  Astoria,  provided  it  would  be  pro 
tected  by  the  American  flag,  and  made  a  military  post; 
stating  that  the  whole  force  required  would  not  exceed 
a  lieutenant's  command.  But  no  step  was  taken  by 
the  government,  and  the  favourable  moment  for  the  re- 
occupation  of  Astoria  was  suffered  to  pass  unimproved. 
Meanwhile,  the  British  trading  establishments  struck 
their  roots  so  deep  in  the  rich  field  opened  by  Mr.  Astor 
that  soon  American  sovereignty  over  the  region  was 
called  in  question,  and  in  1818  the  United  States  agreed 
with  Great  Britain  to  a  dual  control  for  ten  years  of  the 
country  on  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  westward 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  that  inhabitants  of  either 
country  might  trade  there  on  equal  terms,  and  with 
equal  right  of  navigating  all  the  rivers.  At  the  end  of 
the  period  of  ten  years  (1828)  this  neutral  arrange 
ment  was  extended  for  an  additional  ten  years;  and 
then  it  became  a  dispute  which  pressed  hard  for  settle 
ment  during  almost  another  decade.  Finally,  in  1846, 
after  several  vain  attempts  to  come  to  an  agreement,  a 
compromise  was  effected  and  the  boundary  line  was 
fixed  at  the  parallel  of  49°  N.  The  popular  cry  of  the 
day,  "  Fifty-four  forty  or  fight,"  would  have  changed 
the  course  of  empire,  if  it  had  been  acted  upon  thirty 
years  before,  at  a  time  when  full  possession  of  this 
whole  region  might  have  been  taken  quietly,  as  a  mat 
ter  of  course,  and  a  military  post  established  without 
dispute  at  Astoria. 


CHAPTER  XII 

READJUSTMENT  AND  GROWTH 

IF  we  look  at  the  series  of  events  we  have  recorded  in 
their  relation  to  this  great  commercial  undertaking, 
we  must  name  it  a  magnificent  enterprise,  well  con 
certed,  and  carried  on  without  regard  to  difficulties  or 
expense.  A  succession  of  adverse  circumstances  and 
cross  purposes,  however,  beset  it  almost  from  the  out 
set  :  the  loss  of  the  Tonquin,  on  her  first  trading  voy 
age;  the  variations  of  the  Beaver  from  the  course  laid 
down  for  her,  and  the  consequent  detention  of  Mr. 
Hunt  from  his  post,  when  his  presence  there  was  of 
vital  importance  to  the  enterprise;  the  breaking  out  of 
the  War  of  1812  with  its  accompanying  risks  and  diffi 
culties;  and  finally  the  loss  of  the  supply  ship  Lark 
added  to  the  tissue  of  misadventure. 

That  Mr.  Astor  battled  resolutely  against  every 
difficulty,  and  pursued  his  course  in  defiance  of  every 
loss,  has  been  sufficiently  shown.  Had  he  been 
seconded  by  suitable  agents  and  properly  protected  by 
the  government,  the  ultimate  failure  of  his  plan  might 
have  been  averted.  It  was  his  great  misfortune  that 
his  agents  were  not  imbued  with  his  own  spirit.  Some 
had  not  capacity  sufficient  to  comprehend  the  real 
nature  and  extent  of  his  scheme;  most  were  foreigners 
in  birth,  feeling,  and  interest,  and  had  been  brought 
up  in  the  service  of  a  rival  company.  Whatever  sym- 

99 


ioo  The  Fur  Traders 

pathies  they  might  originally  have  had  with  him  were 
destroyed  by  the  war.  They  looked  upon  his  cause  as 
desperate,  and  considered  only  how  they  might  regain 
a  situation  under  their  former  employers.  The  absence 
of  Mr.  Hunt,  the  only  real  representative  of  Mr.  Astor, 
at  the  time  of  the  surrender  to  the  Northwest  Company, 
completed  the  series  of  cross  purposes  that  ruined  the 
Pacific  Fur  Company,  and  perhaps  delayed  for  half  a 
century  Mr.  Astor' s  hope  of  a  commercial  empire  be 
yond  the  mountains,  peopled  by  "free  and  independent 
Americans,  and  linked  to  us  by  ties  of  blood  and  in 
terest." 

In  consequence  of  the  apathy  and  neglect  of  the 
American  Government,  Mr.  Astor  abandoned  all 
thoughts  of  regaining  Astoria,  and  made  no  further 
attempt  to  extend  his  enterprises  beyond  the  Rocky 
Mountains;  and  the  Northwest  Company  considered 
themselves  the  lords  of  the  country.  They  did  not 
long  enjoy  unmolested  the  sway  which  they  had  at 
tained;  for  a  fierce  competition  ensued  between  them 
and  their  old  rivals  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  which 
was  carried  on  at  great  cost  and  sacrifice,  and  occa 
sionally  with  the  loss  of  life.  It  ended  in  the  ruin  of 
most  of  the  partners  of  the  Northwest  Company;  and 
the  merging  of  the  relics  of  that  establishment,  in  1821, 
in  the  rival  association.  From  that  time,  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  enjoyed  a  monopoly  of  the  Indian  trade 
from  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  to  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
and  for  a  considerable  extent  north  and  south.  They 
removed  their  emporium  from  Astoria  to  Fort  Van 
couver,  a  strong  post  on  the  Columbia  River  about 
sixty  miles  from  its  mouth,  whence  they  furnished  their 
interior  posts  and  sent  forth  their  brigades  of  trappers. 

The  War  of  1812  in  part  not  only  ruined  Mr.  Aster's 


Readjustment  and  Growth  101 

enterprise  in  the  Pacific,  but  it  also  suspended  the 
operations  of  his  Southwest  Company,  that  branch  of 
the  American  Fur  Company  which  he  had  organised 
in  1811  to  succeed  the  Mackinaw  Company.  Thus,  in 
1815,  he  found  it  necessary  to  begin  all  over  again  in 
his  effort  to  become  an  independent  producer  of  furs; 
he  was  already  perhaps  the  greatest  fur  merchant  of 
the  world. 

After  Congress  in  1816  forbade  foreign  traders  to  en 
gage  in  the  fur  trade  within  the  borders  of  the  United 
States,  Mr.  Astor  took  over  the  business  of  the  North 
west  Company  south  of  the  Canadian  boundary,  and, 
combining  that  with  the  remnant  of  his  Southwest 
Company,  merged  all  in  the  American  Fur  Company. 
By  1817  these  rearrangements  were  in  working  order, 
and,  with  the  island  of  Mackinac  as  the  emporium  of 
the  trade,  operations  were  extended  not  only  around 
the  Great  Lakes,  but  all  through  the  region  of  the 
lakes  and  streams  that  form  the  upper  waters  of  the 
Mississippi  River. 

Steady  growth  marked  the  development  of  the  Ameri 
can  Fur  Company  during  the  next  few  years.  Ramsay 
Crooks,  who  will  readily  be  recalled  in  connection  with 
Mr.  Hunt's  disasters  on  the  Snake  River,  became  the 
active  head  of  the  business,  and  put  tireless  energy 
into  it.  He  was  practically  the  general  agent  of  the 
company  as  well  as  head  of  the  Western  Department 
after  it  was  established  at  St.  L,ouis.  When,  in  1834, 
Mr.  Astor  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  company,  Mr. 
Crooks  bought  the  Northern  Department  and  the  com 
pany's  name  and  became  president  of  the  American 
Fur  Company. 

Mr.  Crooks's  efforts  at  Mackinac  were  ably  seconded 
by  Robert  Stuart,  another  Astorian,  who  carried  the 


IO2  The  Fur  Traders 

despatches  overland  to  Mr.  Astor,  setting  out  in  July, 
1812,'  after  John  Reed  had  met  with  disaster  while  on 
the  same  mission.  Crooks  and  M'Lellan  returned 
with  him,  sharing  the  perils  of  that  protracted  ten 
months'  journey. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  efforts  of  the  American  Fur 
Company  to  establish  itself  in  the  Missouri  trade  lead 
to  no  permanent  results,  chiefly  for  the  reason  that  that 
trade  was  in  the  hands  of  the  St.  L,ouis  traders;  and 
they  refused  to  share  it  with  any  outsiders,  least  of  all 
with  a  rival  who  was  powerful  enough  possibly  to 
monopolise  it  all.  They  showed  their  opposition  from 
the  beginning  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Compan)^.  Mr. 
Hunt's  troubles  with  the  Missouri  Fur  Company  and 
especially  with  its  most  active  partner  and  partisan,  Mr. 
Manuel  I^isa,  have  already  been  mentioned;  and  from 
that  time  forth,  for  more  than  ten  years,  they  main 
tained  a  narrow,  losing  hostility,  refusing  to  admit  Mr. 
Astor  as  a  partner,  and  blocked  his  efforts  to  secure 
an  opening  through  any  of  the  leading  establishments 
engaged  in  the  fur  trade. 

In  1823  the  American  Fur  Company  established  itself 
at  St.  Louis  quite  independently  of  the  old  houses,  and 
assigned  to  this,  its  Western  Department,  the  trade  of 
the  Missouri  and  the  lower  posts  on  the  Mississippi. 
A  year  later  a  temporary  alliance  was  made  with  Stone, 
Bostwick,  and  Company  to  act  as  agents  and  manage 
this  department;  and  finally,  in  1827,  the  long  desired 
connection  was  made  with  Bernard  Pratte  and  Com 
pany,  who  comprised  the  strongest  traders  in  St.  L,ouis, 
and  who  managed  the  department  with  notable  ability 
during  the  great  activities  that  marked  the  fur  trade 
for  the  next  twenty  years. 

1  For  details  of  this  journey  see  Astoria,  chapters  xliv.-li. 


Readjustment  and  Growth  103 

Later  in  that  same  year,  another  fortunate  combina 
tion  was  made  by  the  American  Fur  Company — that 
with  the  Columbia  Fur  Company.  This  company  had 
been  formed  by  some  of  the  best  men  in  the  famous 
Northwest  Company,  who  had  been  crowded  out  of 
their  places  when  that  company  succumbed  to  the 
fierce  competition  with  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  and 
in  1821  fell  into  its  hands.  They  quickly  built  up 
along  the  Great  Lakes  and  on  the  rivers  to  the  west  of 
them  an  able  opposition  to  the  American  Company. 
In  fact,  so  successful  were  they  that  they  were  made 
partners  of  the  American  Fur  Company  and  conducted 
thereafter  the  affairs  of  the  upper  Missouri,  of  course, 
withdrawing  from  their  separate  operations  around  the 
Great  Lakes.  This  new  department  was  known  as  the 
Upper  Missouri  Outfit,  "  U.  M.  O.,"  and,  beginning 
at  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  was  gradually  extended  to  the 
headwaters  of  the  river. 

Under  the  able  trader,  Kenneth  M'Kenzie,  recently 
of  the  Columbia  Fur  Company,  a  definite  advance  from 
the  Mandan  country  toward  the  sources  of  the  Missouri 
River  was  begun  in  1828.  In  that  year  Fort  Union 
(at  first  called  Floyd)  was  built  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellowstone  River.  Through  an  old  trapper  named 
Berger,  M'Kenzie  succeeded  in  opening  negotiations 
with  the  hostile  and  ever  treacherous  Blackfeet  In 
dians,  and  as  a  result  caused  Fort  Piegan  to  be  built  at 
the  junction  of  the  Marias  with  the  Missouri  River. 
As  this  post  was  found  burned,  when  the  resident  agent 
returned  in  the  fall  of  1832  with  his  new  trading  outfit 
Fort  M'Kenzie  was  built  six  miles  up  the  Marias  River. 
This  stronghold  secured  there  for  the  company  a  per 
manent  foothold  among  the  Blackfeet. 

Also  in  1832,  M'Kenzie  built  Fort  Cass  at  the  point 


iO4  The  Fur  Traders 

where  the  Big  Horn  empties  into  the  Yellowstone,  thus 
tapping  the  Crow  country,  and  completing  the  three 
river  bases  from  which  the  company  traded  as  long  as 
it  existed:  Fort  Union,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow 
stone,  Fort  M'Kenzie  on  the  Marias,  and  Fort  Cass  on 
the  Big  Horn.  Into  the  mountain  trade  the  company 
never  entered  so  completely  or  profitably ;  for,  although 
that  had  already  become  thoroughly  developed,  it  called 
for  an  organisation  more  mobile  and  leaders  more  active 
and  eager  than  the  great  company  had  yet  produced. 

The  difficulties  experienced  in  1808  by  Mr.  Andrew 
Henry  of  the  Missouri  Company,  the  first  American  to 
trap  upon  the  headwaters  of  the  Columbia,  and  the 
frightful  hardships  of  Wilson  P.  Hunt,  Ramsay  Crooks, 
Robert  Stuart,  and  other  intrepid  Astorians,  in  their 
ill-fated  expeditions  across  the  mountains,  seemed  for  a 
time  to  check  all  further  enterprise  in  that  direction. 
The  American  traders  contented  themselves  with  fol 
lowing  up  the  streams  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the 
mountains,  but  forbore  to  attempt  those  great,  snow- 
crowned  sierras. 

One  of  the  first  to  revive  the  expeditions  to  the 
mountains  was  General  Ashley,1  of  Missouri,  a  man 

1  William  Henry  Ashley  (1778-1838),  the  most  noted  and  suc 
cessful  of  the  St.  Louis  traders,  entered  the  mountain  trade  in 
partnership  with  Andrew  Henry,  in  1822,  visiting  the  Yellow 
stone  in  that  year ;  in  the  next,  he  was  defeated  in  the  affair  at 
the  Aricara  village  ;  in  1824  he  was  present  at  the  rendezvous  in 
Green  River  Valley,  and,  though  badly  shipwrecked  later,  he 
continued  his  explorations  to  the  south  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake, 
and  returned  thence  in  1825  with  130  packs  of  beaver  skins — a 
phenomenal  cargo  for  those  days.  After  one  more  visit  to  the 
mountains,  he  sold  his  business  in  1826  to  Smith,  Jackson,  and 
Sublette,  and  devoted  his  energies  to  political  life,  serving  in 
Congress  from  1831-1837. 


Readjustment  and  Growth  105 

whose  courage  and  achievements  in  the  prosecution  of 
his  enterprises  rendered  him  famous  in  the  Far  West. 
In  conjunction  with  Mr.  Henry,  already  mentioned,1 
he  established  a  post  on  the  Yellowstone  River  in  1822, 
and  in  1823  pushed  a  band  of  trappers  across  the  mount 
ains  to  the  banks  of  the  Green  River.  This  attempt 
was  followed  up  by  himself  and  others  until  a  com 
plete  system  of  trapping  in  the  mountains  was  devised, 
the  most  interesting  feature  of  which  was  the  rendez 
vous  in  place  of  the  fixed  trading-posts.  In  other 
words,  some  place  of  general  meeting  was  appointed 
where  the  various  parties  could  assemble  each  year 
with  the  product  of  their  work  and  renew  their  equip 
ment  and  get  supplies. 

In  this  wild  and  warlike  school  a  number  of  leaders 
sprang  up,  originally  in  the  employ,  subsequently 
partners,  of  Ashley.  The  association  commenced  by 
General  Ashley  underwent  various  modifications  until 
he  was  succeeded  by  Captain  William  Sublette,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  of  game  descent;  his  maternal 
grandfather,  Colonel  Wheatley,  a  companion  of  Boone, 
having  been  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  West,  celebrated 
in  Indian  warfare,  and  killed  in  one  of  the  contests  of 
the  "  Bloody  Ground."  In  1830,  the  association  took 
the  name  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company,  of 
which  Captain  Sublette  and  Robert  Campbell  were 
prominent  members. 

1  See  p.  36. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
PIERRE'S  HOLE 

IT  was  in  the  midst  of  this  renewal  of  old  interests, 
and  of  the  enthusiasm  of  new  ones,  that  Captain 
Bonneville  of  the  United  States  Army  came  to  New 
York  to  secure  support  for  a  trading  expedition  which 
he  wished  to  lead  through  unexplored  regions  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  Having  obtained  leave  of  absence 
from  the  War  Department,  on  his  offering  to  collect  for 
it  information  concerning  the  country  and  the  wild 
tribes  he  might  visit,  he  was  equally  successful  in  in 
teresting  in  the  enterprise  several  merchants  of  the 
metropolis,  who  raised  sufficient  funds  to  carry  the 
scheme  into  effect. 

Thus  backed  and  provided,  Captain  Bonneville  was 
able  to  shape  his  day-dream  into  a  practical  reality  and 
gratify  the  ardent  desire  of  his  heart.  Enlisting  a 
party  of  one  hundred  and  ten  men,  most  of  whom  had 
been  in  the  Indian  country,  and  some  of  whom  were 
experienced  hunters  and  trappers,  he  took  his  departure 
from  Fort  Osage,  on  the  Missouri,  on  the  ist  of  May, 
1832. 

It  is  not  easy  to  do  justice  to  the  exulting  feelings  of 
the  worthy  Captain  at  finding  himself  at  the  head  of  a 
stout  band  of  hunters,  trappers,  and  woodmen,  fairly 
launched  on  the  broad  prairies,  with  his  face  to  the 
boundless  West.  The  tamest  inhabitant  of  cities,  the 

106 


Pierre's  Hole  107 

veriest  spoiled  child  of  civilisation,  feels  his  heart  dilate 
and  his  pulse  beat  high  on  finding  himself  on  horse 
back  in  the  glorious  wilderness;  what  then  must  be  the 
excitement  of  one  whose  imagination  had  been  stimu 
lated  by  a  residence  on  the  frontier,  and  to  whom  the 
wilderness  was  a  region  of  romance ! 

On  the  6th  of  May  the  travellers  passed  the  last 
border  habitation,  and  bade  a  long  farewell  to  the  ease 
and  security  of  civilisation;  and  their  buoyant  and 
clamorous  spirits  gradually  subsided  as  they  entered 
upon  the  difficulties  of  the  march.  On  the  24th  of 
May,  as  the  caravan  was  slowly  journeying  up  the 
banks  of  the  Nebraska,  the  hunters  came  galloping 
back,  giving  the  alarm  that  a  large  war-party  of  Crow 
Indians  were  just  above,  on  the  river.  The  Captain 
knew  these  savages  to  be  the  most  roving,  warlike, 
crafty,  and  predatory  tribes  of  the  mountains;  horse- 
stealers  of  the  first  order,  and  easily  provoked  to  acts 
of  violence.  Orders  were  accordingly  given  to  prepare 
for  action,  and  every  one  promptly  took  the  post  that 
had  been  assigned  him. 

In  a  little  while  the  Crow  warriors  emerged  from 
among  the  bluffs,  fine  martial-looking  fellows,  painted 
and  arrayed  for  war,  and  mounted  on  horses  decked 
out  with  all  kinds  of  wild  trappings.  They  came  gal 
loping  forward  in  a  body,  as  if  about  to  make  a  furious 
charge,  but,  when  close  at  hand,  opened  to  the  right 
and  left,  and  wheeled  in  wide  circles  round  the  travel 
lers,  whooping  and  yelling  like  maniacs. 

This  done,  their  mock  fury  sank  into  a  calm,  and 
the  chief  approached  the  Captain,  who  had  remained 
warily  drawn  up,  and  extended  to  him  the  hand  of 
friendship.  The  pipe  of  peace  was  smoked,  and  all  was 
good  fellowship. 


io8  The  Fur  Traders 

The  Crows  were  in  pursuit  of  a  band  of  Chej'ennes, 
and  a  few  days  previously  had  discovered  the  party  of 
Captain  Bonneville.  They  had  dogged  it  for  a  time  in 
secret,  astonished  at  the  long  train  of  waggons  and 
oxen,  and  especially  struck  with  the  sight  of  a  cow  and 
calf  quietly  following  the  caravan,  supposing  them  to 
be  some  kind  of  tame  buffalo.  "Now  that  we  have 
met  you,"  said  their  chief  to  Captain  Bonneville,  "and 
have  seen  these  marvels  with  our  own  eyes,  our  hearts 
are  glad."  In  fact,  nothing  could  exceed  the  curiosity 
evinced  by  these  people  as  to  the  objects  before  them. 
Waggons  had  never  been  seen  by  them  before ;  but  the 
calf  was  the  peculiar  object  of  their  admiration.  They 
watched  it  with  intense  interest  as  it  licked  the  hands 
accustomed  to  feed  it,  and  were  struck  with  the  mild 
expression  of  its  countenance  and  its  perfect  docility, 
feeling  sure  that  it  was  the  ' '  great  medicine ' '  of  the 
white  party. 

During  the  day  and  the  night  that  the  Crows  were 
encamped  in  company  with  the  travellers  their  conduct 
was  friendly  in  the  extreme.  In  fact,  not  until  after 
separation  on  the  following  morning  did  the  Captain 
and  his  men  ascertain  that  the  Crows  had  contrived  to 
empty  the  pockets  of  their  white  brothers,  to  filch  the 
buttons  from  their  coats,  and,  above  all,  to  make  free 
with  their  hunting  knives.  The  Captain  was  well 
pleased  with  the  opportunity  to  gain  some  knowledge 
of  the  "unsophisticated  sons  of  nature,"  and  had  to  be 
content  with  this  one  experience  until  he  reached  his 
chosen  ground  in  the  Rockies. 

His  route  was  the  one  already  in  common  use  by  the 
mountain  traders  and  was  later  to  be  known  as  the  Ore 
gon  Trail.  It  lead  up  the  valleys  of  the  Platte  and  the 
Sweetwater  rivers,  through  South  Pass,  and  to  the 


Pierre's  Hole  109 

Green  River,  where  he  arrived  about  noon  on  the  2yth 
of  July.  On  the  day  before,  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  a  great  cloud  of  dust  appeared  in  the  rear  on 
the  trail  of  the  party.  A  scouting  party  soon  returned 
making  signals  that  all  was  well,  and  were  quickly  fol 
lowed  by  a  band  of  sixty  mounted  trappers  belonging 
to  the  American  Fur  Company,  who  were  headed  by 
a  Mr.  Fontenelle,  an  experienced  "partisan,"  and 
were  bound  for  the  annual  rendezvous  at  Pierre's  Hole. 

As  the  plain  ahead  of  them  was  destitute  of  grass  and 
water,  and  as  the  Green  River  was  still  some  distance 
away,  both  parties  were  compelled  to  push  forward 
with  all  possible  speed,  reaching  the  river  next  day 
quite  knocked  out  by  the  exertion.  During  their  brief 
but  social  encampment  together,  Fontenelle  had  man 
aged  to  win  over  a  number  of  Delaware  Indians  whom 
the  Captain  had  brought  with  him,  and  on  whose  serv 
ices  as  hunters  he  had  counted  securely.  This  was 
his  first  taste  of  the  boasted  strategy  of  the  fur  traders. 
That  he  might,  in  some  measure,  however,  be  even 
with  his  competitor,  he  despatched  two  scouts  to  look 
out  for  the  band  of  free  trappers  who  were  to  meet 
Fontenelle  in  this  neighbourhood,  and  to  endeavour  to 
bring  them  to  his  camp. 

As  it  would  be  necessary  to  remain  some  time  in  this 
neighbourhood,  Captain  Bonneville  proceeded  to  fortify 
his  camp  with  breastworks  of  logs  and  pickets,  precau 
tions  that  were  peculiarly  necessary,  from  the  bands  of 
Blackfeet  Indians  which  were  roving  about  the  neigh 
bourhood.  They  were  a  treacherous  race,  and  had 
cherished  a  lurking  hostility  to  the  whites  ever  since 
one  of  their  tribe  was  killed  by  Mr.  Lewis,  the  associate 
of  Clark  in  his  exploring  expedition  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains, 


j  10  The  Fur  Traders 

Leaving  Captain  Bonneville  and  his  band  within 
their  fortified  camp  in  the  Green  River  Valley,  we 
shall  step  back  and  accompany  a  party  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Fur  Company  in  its  progress,  with  supplies 
from  St.  L,ouis,  to  the  annual  rendezvous,  at  Pierre's 
Hole.  This  party  consisted  of  sixty  men,  well  mounted 
and  conducting  a  line  of  pack-horses.  They  were  com 
manded  by  Captain  William  Sublette,  a  partner  in  the 
company,  and  by  Mr.  Robert  Campbell,  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  trade  beyond  the  mountain,  who  had 
commanded  trapping  parties  there  in  times  of  the 
greatest  peril. 

As  these  worthy  compeers  were  on  their  route  to  the 
frontier,  they  fell  in  with  another  expedition,  likewise 
on  its  way  to  the  mountains.  This  was  a  party  of  New 
Englanders  who  were  commanded  by  Mr.  Nathaniel  J. 
Wyeth,  of  Boston.  This  gentleman  had  conceived  an 
idea  that  a  profitable  fishery  for  salmon  might  be 
established  on  the  Columbia  River,  and  connected  with 
the  fur  trade.  He  had,  accordingly,  invested  his  capi 
tal  in  goods  for  the  Indian  trade,  and  had  enlisted  a 
number  of  eastern  men  who  unluckily  had  never  been 
in  the  Far  West,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  wilderness. 

With  all  their  aptitude  at  expedient  and  resource, 
Wyeth  and  his  men  felt  themselves  completely  at  a  loss 
when  they  reached  the  frontier  and  found  that  the 
wilderness  required  a  kind  of  experience  in  which  they 
were  totally  deficient.  Not  one  of  the  party,  excepting 
the  leader,  had  ever  seen  an  Indian  or  handled  a  rifle; 
they  were  without  guide  or  interpreter,  and  were  totally 
unacquainted  with  woodcraft  and  the  modes  of  mak 
ing  their  way  among  savage  hordes,  and  of  subsisting 
themselves  during  long  marches  over  wild  mountains 
and  barren  plains. 


Pierre's  Hole  in 

In  this  predicament  Captain  Sublette  found  them  at 
the  little  frontier  town  of  Independence,  in  Missouri, 
and  took  them  in  tow.  His  men  gave  their  Yankee 
comrades  some  lessons  in  hunting  and  some  insight 
into  the  art  and  mystery  of  dealing  with  the  Indians, 
and  they  all  arrived  without  accident  at  the  upper 
branches  of  the  Platte  River. 

In  the  course  of  their  march,  Mr.  Fitzpatrick,  the 
partner  of  the  company  who  was  resident  at  that  time 
beyond  the  mountains,  came  down  from  the  rendezvous 
at  Pierre's  Hole  to  meet  them  and  hurry  them  forward. 
He  travelled  in  company  with  them  until  they  reached 
the  Sweetwater;  then,  taking  a  couple  of  horses,  one 
for  the  saddle  and  the  other  as  a  pack-horse,  he  started 
back  to  make  arrangements  for  their  arrival,  that  he 
might  begin  his  hunting  campaign  before  the  rival 
company. 

Fitzpatrick,  as  he  was  pursuing  his  lonely  course  up 
the  Green  River  Valley,  descried  several  horsemen  at 
a  distance,  and  came  to  a  halt  to  reconnoitre.  He  sup 
posed  them  to  be  some  detachment  from  the  rendezvous, 
or  a  party  of  friendly  Indians.  They  perceived  him, 
and  setting  up  the  war-whoop,  dashed  forward  at  full 
speed :  he  saw  at  once  his  mistake  and  his  peril — they 
were  Blackfeet.  Springing  upon  his  fleetest  horse,  and 
abandoning  the  other  to  the  enemy,  he  made  for  the 
mountains,  and  succeeded  in  escaping  up  one  of  the 
most  dangerous  defiles.  For  several  days  he  remained 
lurking  among  rocks  and  precipices,  and  almost  fam 
ished,  having  but  one  remaining  charge  in  his  rifle, 
which  he  kept  for  self-defence. 

In  the  meantime,  Sublette  and  Campbell,  with  their 
fellow-traveller,  Wyeth,  had  pursued  their  march  un 
molested,  and  arrived  in  the  Green  River  Valley, 


112  The  Fur  Traders 

totally  unconscious  that  there  was  any  lurking  enemy 
at  hand.  They  had  encamped  one  night  on  the  banks 
of  a  small  stream,  when  about  midnight  a  band  of 
Indians  burst  upon  their  camp,  with  horrible  yells  and 
whoops  and  a  discharge  of  guns  and  arrows.  The 
camp  was  instantly  in  arms;  but  the  Indians  retreated 
with  yells  of  exultation,  carrying  off  several  of  the 
horses,  under  cover  of  the  night. 

They  continued  their  march  the  next  morning,  keep 
ing  scouts  ahead  and  upon  their  flanks,  and  arrived 
without  further  molestation  at  Pierre's  Hole.  The 
first  inquiry  of  Captain  Sublette,  on  reaching  the  ren 
dezvous,  was  for  Fitzpatrick.  He  had  not  arrived,  nor 
had  any  intelligence  been  received  concerning  him. 
Great  uneasiness  was  now  entertained  lest  he  should 
have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Blackfeet  who  had 
made  the  midnight  attack  upon  the  camp.  It  was  a 
matter  of  general  joy,  therefore,  when  he  made  his 
appearance.  He  had  lurked  for  several  days  among 
the  mountains;  at  length  he  escaped  the  vigilance  of 
his  enemies  in  the  night,  and  was  so  fortunate  as  to  meet 
two  Iroquois  hunters,  who,  being  on  horseback,  con 
veyed  him  without  further  difficulty  to  the  rendezvous. 

In  the  valley  called  Pierre's  Hole  was  congregated 
the  motley  populace  connected  with  the  fur  trade. 
Here  the  two  rival  companies  had  their  encampments, 
with  their  retainers  of  all  kinds.  Here,  also,  the  sav 
age  tribes  connected  with  the  trade,  the  Nez  Perec's  and 
Flatheads,  had  pitched  their  lodges  beside  the  streams, 
and  with  their  squaws  awaited  the  distribution  of  goods 
and  finery.  There  was,  moreover,  a  band  of  fifteen 
free  trappers,  commanded  by  a  gallant  leader  from 
Arkansas,  named  Sinclair,  who  held  their  encampment 
a  little  apart  from  the  rest. 


HEROISM  OF  A  WOMAN  OF  THE  NEZ  PERCES 
Engraved  from  a  drawing  by  F.  S.  Church 


Pierre's  Hole  113 

The  arrival  of  Captain  Sublette  with  supplies  put  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  in  full  activity.  The 
wares  and  merchandise  were  quickly  opened,  and  as 
quickly  disposed  of  to  trappers  and  Indians;  the  usual 
excitement  and  revelry  took  place,  after  which  all 
hands  began  to  disperse  to  their  several  destinations. 

On  the  lyth  of  July,  a  small  brigade  of  fourteen 
trappers,  led  by  Milton  Sublette,  brother  of  the  cap 
tain,  set  out  toward  the  south-west,  accompanied  by 
Sinclair  and  his  fifteen  free  trappers;  Wyeth,  also,  and 
his  New  England  band  of  beaver  hunters  and  salmon 
fishers,  now  dwindled  down  to  eleven,  took  this  oppor 
tunity  to  prosecute  their  cruise  in  the  wilderness  with 
such  experienced  pilots.  On  the  second  morning,  just 
as  they  were  raising  their  camp,  they  observed  a  long 
line  of  people  pouring  down  a  defile  of  the  mountains. 
They  at  first  supposed  them  to  be  Fontenelle  and  his 
party,  whose  arrival  had  been  daily  expected.  Wyeth, 
however,  soon  perceived  they  were  Indians  in  two  par 
ties,  forming,  in  the  whole,  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  persons,  men,  women,  and  children.  They  had 
perceived  the  trappers  before  they  were  themselves 
discovered,  and  came  down  yelling  and  whooping  into 
the  plain. 

One  of  the  trappers  of  Sublette' s  brigade,  a  half- 
breed,  named  Antoine  Godin,  now  mounted  his  horse 
and  rode  forth  as  if  to  hold  a  conference.  He  was  the 
son  of  an  Iroquois  hunter  who  had  been  cruelly  mur 
dered  by  members  of  this  same  tribe  of  Blackfeet  at  a 
small  stream  below  the  mountains,  which  still  bears 
his  name.  In  company  with  Antoine  rode  forth  a 
Flathead  Indian,  whose  once  powerful  tribe  had  been 
completely  broken  down  in  their  wars  with  the  Black- 
feet.  Both  of  them,  therefore,  cherished  the  most 


U4  The  Fur  Traders 

vengeful  hostility  against  these  marauders  of  the 
mountains.  The  Blackfeet  came  to  a  halt.  One  of 
the  chiefs  advanced  singly  and  unarmed,  bearing  the 
pipe  of  peace;  but  Antoine  and  the  Flathead  were  pre 
disposed  to  hostility,  and  pretended  to  consider  it  a 
treacherous  movement. 

They  met  the  Blackfeet  chief  half-way,  who  extended 
his  hand  in  friendship.  Antoine  grasped  it.  At  the 
same  time  the  Flathead  levelled  his  piece  and  brought 
the  Blackfoot  to  the  ground.  Antoine  snatched  off  his 
scarlet  blanket,  which  was  richly  ornamented,  and 
galloped  off  with  it  as  a  trophy  to  the  camp,  the  bullets 
of  the  enemy  whistling  after  him.  The  Indians  im 
mediately  threw  themselves  into  the  edge  of  a  swamp, 
among  willows  and  cotton -wood  trees,  interwoven  with 
vines.  Here  they  began  to  fortify  themselves;  the 
women  digging  a  trench  and  throwing  up  a  breast 
work  of  logs  and  branches,  deep  hid  in  the  bosom  of 
the  wood,  while  the  warriors  skirmished  at  the  edge  to 
keep  the  trappers  at  bay. 

The  latter  took  their  station  in  a  ravine  in  front, 
whence  they  kept  up  a  scattering  fire.  In  the  mean 
time,  an  express  had  been  sent  off  to  the  rendezvous 
for  reinforcements.  Captain  Sublette  and  his  associ 
ate,  Campbell,  were  at  their  camp  when  the  express 
came  galloping  across  the  plain,  waving  his  cap,  and 
giving  the  alarm:  "Blackfeet!  Blackfeet!  a  fight  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  valley! — to  arms!  to  arms!  " 

The  alarm  was  passed  from  camp  to  camp.  It  was  a 
common  cause.  Every  one  turned  out  with  horse  and 
rifle.  The  Nez  Perces  and  Flatheads  joined.  As  fast 
as  horsemen  could  arm  and  mount  they  galloped  off; 
the  valley  was  soon  alive  with  white  men  and  red  men 
scouring  at  full  speed. 


Pierre's  Hole  115 

When  Captain  Sublette  arrived,  he  urged  to  pene 
trate  the  swamp  and  storm  the  fort,  but  all  hung  back 
in  awe  of  the  dismal  horrors  of  the  place  and  the  dan 
ger  of  attacking  such  desperadoes  in  their  savage  den. 
The  very  Indian  allies,  though  accustomed  to  bush- 
fighting,  regarded  it  as  almost  impenetrable  and  full 
of  frightful  danger.  Sublette  was  not  to  be  turned 
from  his  purpose,  but  grasped  his  rifle  and  pushed  into 
the  thickets,  followed  by  Campbell.  Sinclair,  excited 
by  the  gallant  example  of  the  two  friends,  pressed 
forward  to  share  their  dangers. 

The  swamp  was  all  overgrown  with  woods  and 
thickets,  so  closely  matted  and  entangled  that  it  was 
impossible  to  see  ten  paces  ahead.  The  three  associates 
in  peril  had  to  crawl  along,  one  after  another,  making 
their  way  with  caution,  lest  they  should  attract  the  eye 
of  some  lurking  marksman.  They  took  the  lead  by 
turns,  until  they  had  reached  a  more  open  part  of  the 
wood,  and  had  glimpses  of  the  rude  fortress  from  be 
tween  the  trees.  As  Sinclair,  who  was  in  the  advance, 
was  putting  some  branches  aside,  he  was  shot  through 
the  body,  and  was  conveyed  out  of  the  swamp  by  his 
men. 

Sublette  now  took  the  advance.  While  he  was  re 
loading  after  shooting  an  Indian,  a  ball  struck  him  in 
the  shoulder,  and  almost  wheeled  him  round.  The 
next  moment  he  was  so  faint  that  he  could  not  stand, 
and  he  too  was  carried  out  of  the  thicket. 

A  brisk  fire  was  now  opened  on  the  fort.  Unluckily, 
the  trappers  and  their  allies  had  got  scattered,  so  that 
Wyeth  and  a  number  of  Nez  Perces  approached  the 
fort  on  the  north-west  side,  while  others  did  the  same 
on  the  opposite  quarter.  A  cross-fire  thus  took  place, 
which  occasionally  did  mischief  to  friends  as  well  as 


n6  The  Fur  Traders 

foes.  The  Blackfeet,  though  completely  overmatched, 
kept  doggedly  in  their  fort,  making  no  offer  of  surren 
der.  But  during  one  of  the  pauses  of  the  battle,  the 
voice  of  the  Blackfeet  chief  was  heard. 

"So  long,"  said  he,  "  as  we  had  powder  and  ball, 
we  fought  you  in  the  open  field:  when  those  were 
spent,  we  retreated  here  to  die  with  our  women  and 
children.  You  may  burn  us  in  our  fort;  but  stay  by 
our  ashes  and  you  who  are  so  hungry  for  fighting  will 
soon  have  enough.  There  are  four  hundred  lodges  of 
our  brethren  at  hand.  They  will  soon  be  here — their 
arms  are  strong — their  hearts  are  big — they  will  avenge 
us!" 

By  the  time  this  speech  was  rendered  into  English, 
the  chief  was  made  to  say  that  four  hundred  lodges  of 
his  tribe  were  attacking  the  encampment  at  the  other 
end  of  the  valley.  Every  one  now  was  for  hurrying  to 
the  defence  of  the  rendezvous.  A  party  was  left  to 
keep  watch  upon  the  fort ;  the  rest  galloped  off  to  the 
camp.  By  morning,  their  companions  returned  from 
the  rendezvous,  with  the  report  that  all  was  safe.  As 
the  day  opened,  they  ventured  within  the  swamp  and 
approached  the  fort.  All  was  silent.  They  advanced 
up  to  it  without  opposition.  They  entered:  it  had 
been  abandoned  in  the  night,  and  the  Blackfeet  had 
effected  their  retreat,  carrying  off  their  wounded  on 
litters.  They  had  lost  twenty-six  warriors  in  this 
battle.  Thirty-two  horses  were  likewise  found  killed ; 
among  them  were  some  of  those  recently  carried  off 
from  Sublette's  party  in  the  night.  Five  white  men 
and  one  half-breed  were  killed,  and  several  wounded. 
Seven  of  the  Nez  Perec's  were  also  killed  and  six 
wounded. 

A  striking  circumstance  is  related  as  having  occurred 


Pierre's  Hole  117 

the  morning  after  the  battle.  As  some  of  the  trappers 
and  their  Indian  allies  were  approaching  the  fort 
through  the  woods,  they  beheld  an  Indian  woman,  of 
noble  form  and  features,  leaning  against  a  tree.  Their 
surprise  at  her  lingering  here  alone,  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  her  enemies,  was  dispelled  when  they  saw  the 
corpse  of  a  warrior  at  her  feet.  Either  she  was  so  lost 
in  grief  as  not  to  perceive  their  approach,  or  a  proud 
spirit  kept  her  silent  and  motionless.  The  Indians  set 
up  a  yell  on  discovering  her,  and  before  the  trappers 
could  interfere,  her  mangled  body  fell  upon  the  corpse 
which  she  had  refused  to  abandon. 

After  the  battle,  the  brigade  of  Milton  Sublette,  to 
gether  with  the  free  trappers  and  Wyeth's  New  Eng 
land  band,  remained  some  days  at  the  rendezvous,  to 
see  if  the  main  body  of  Blackfeet  intended  to  make  an 
attack ;  nothing  of  the  kind  occurring,  they  proceeded 
on  their  route  towards  the  south-west. 

Captain  Sublette,  having  distributed  his  supplies, 
had  intended  to  set  off  on  his  return  to  St.  Louis, 
taking  with  him  the  peltries  collected  from  the  trappers 
and  Indians.  His  wound,  however,  obliged  him  to 
postpone  his  departure.  Several  who  were  to  have 
accompanied  him,  impatient  of  the  delay,  determined 
to  make  their  own  way  back  through  the  mountains. 
It  was  on  the  very  next  day  after  they  set  out  that  this 
party  of  seven  was  descending  a  hill  in  Jackson's  Hole 
near  the  Three  Tetons  when  they  were  attacked  by  a 
band  of  Blackfeet.  Of  the  seven  companions  Mr.  More 
of  Boston  and  Mr.  Foy  of  Mississippi  were  killed,  and 
Mr.  Stephens  was  wounded.  He  and  the  rest,  includ 
ing  two  grandsons  of  Daniel  Boone,  returned  to  the 
camp  at  the  rendezvous,  Stephens  dying  five  days  later. 
Captain  Sublette  was  soon  able  to  travel,  and,  leading 


ii8  The  Fur  Traders 

his  company  by  another  route  out  of  the  way  of  the 
Blackfeet,  he  brought  them  and  their  valuable  cargo 
safely  within  the  frontier. 

Another  direct  result  of  the  battle  of  Pierre's  Hole 
was  the  unsettled  account  between  the  Blackfeet  and 
Antoine  Godin,  who  had  directly  caused  the  fight  there. 
It  happened  some  two  years  later  that  a  party  of  In 
dians  of  this  race  with  a  half-breed  leader  named  Bird 
halted  by  the  Snake  River  opposite  a  fur- trad  ing  post 
which  for  the  time  was  Godin's  headquarters.  In  re 
sponse  to  an  invitation  from  Bird,  Godin  without  sus 
picion  crossed  the  stream  to  buy  the  furs  of  the  party, 
but  was  shot  from  behind  while  he  sat  smoking  with 
the  leaders,  his  scalp  being  ripped  off  before  he  was 
dead.  This  was  the  end  of  the  battle  of  Pierre's  Hole. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE 


Blackfeet  warriors,  when  they  effected  their 
1  midnight  retreat  from  their  wild  fastness  in 
Pierre's  Hole,  fell  back  into  the  valley  of  the  Green 
River,  where  they  joined  the  main  body  of  their  band. 
The  whole  force  amounted  to  several  hundred  fighting 
men,  gloomy  and  exasperated  by  their  late  disaster. 
They  had  with  them  their  wives  and  children,  which 
incapacitated  them  for  any  bold  and  extensive  enter 
prise  of  a  warlike  nature;  but  when,  in  the  course  of 
their  wanderings,  they  came  in  sight  of  the  encamp 
ment  of  Fontenelle,  who  had  moved  some  distance  up 
Green  River  Valley  in  search  of  the  free  trappers,  they 
put  up  tremendous  war-cries  and  advanced  fiercely  as 
if  to  attack  it.  Second  thoughts  caused  them  to  moder 
ate  their  fury.  They  recollected  the  severe  lesson  just 
received,  and  could  not  but  remark  the  strength  of 
Fontenelle'  s  position,  which  had  been  chosen  with 
great  judgment. 

A  formal  talk  ensued.  The  Blackfeet  said  nothing 
of  the  late  battle,  of  which  Fontenelle  had  as  yet  re 
ceived  no  accounts;  the  latter,  however,  knew  the 
hostile  and  perfidious  nature  of  these  savages,  and  took 
care  to  inform  them  of  the  encampment  of  Captain 
Bonneville,  that  they  might  know  there  were  more 
white  men  in  the  neighbourhood.  They  passed  some 

119 


I2O  The  Fur  Traders 

little  time  at  the  camp;  saw,  no  doubt,  that  such  an 
enemy  was  not  to  be  easily  surprised;  and  then  de 
parted,  to  report  all  they  had  seen  to  their  comrades. 

Meantime  the  two  scouts  which  Captain  Bonneville 
had  sent  out  to  seek  for  the  band  of  free  trappers  ex 
pected  by  Fontenelle,  and  to  invite  them  to  his  camp, 
had  been  successful  in  their  search,  and  on  the  i2th  of 
August  those  worthies  made  their  appearance. 

Captain  Bonneville,  who  was  delighted  with  the 
game  look  of  these  cavaliers  of  the  mountains,  wel 
comed  them  heartily  to  his  camp,  and  ordered  a  free 
allowance  of  grog  to  regale  them,  which  soon  put  them 
in  the  most  braggart  spirits.  They  pronounced  the 
Captain  the  finest  fellow  in  the  world,  and  his  men  all 
jovial  lads,  and  swore  they  would  pass  the  day  with 
them.  They  did  so;  and  a  day  it  was,  of  boast, 
swagger,  and  rodomontade.  The  prime  bullies  and 
braves  among  the  free  trappers  had  each  his  circle  of 
novices  from  among  the  Captain's  band;  mere  green 
horns,  men  unused  to  Indian  life.  These  he  would 
astonish  and  delight  by  the  hour  with  prodigious  tales 
of  his  doings  among  the  Indians;  and  of  the  wonders 
he  had  seen,  and  the  wonders  he  had  performed  among 
the  mountains. 

In  the  evening  the  free  trappers  drew  off;  for  they 
come  and  go  when  and  where  they  please;  provide 
their  own  horses,  arms,  and  other  equipments;  trap 
and  trade  on  their  own  account,  and  dispose  of  their 
skins  and  peltries  to  the  highest  bidder;  though 
sometimes,  in  a  dangerous  hunting-ground,  they  at 
tach  themselves  to  the  camp  of  some  trader  for  protec 
tion,  where  they  come  under  such  restrictions  as  may 
be  necessary  for  the  common  safety.  In  the  present 
instance  they  were  delighted  with  their  new  acquaint- 


The  Nez  Perces  121 

ances,  promising  to  return  the  following  day.  Day 
after  day  their  visits  were  repeated;  treat  after  treat 
succeeded,  until  all  was  confusion  and  uproar.  The 
free  trappers  were  no  longer  suffered  to  have  all  the 
swagger  to  themselves.  The  camp  bullies  and  prime 
trappers  of  the  party  began  to  ruffle  up,  and  to  brag, 
in  turn,  of  their  perils  and  achievements.  Each  now 
tried  to  out-boast  and  out-talk  the  other;  a  quarrel 
ensued  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  a  general  fight,  ac 
cording  to  frontier  usage.  The  two  factions  drew  out 
their  forces  for  a  pitched  battle.  They  fell  to  work  and 
belaboured  each  other  with  might  and  main;  kicks 
and  cuffs  and  dry  blows  were  as  well  bestowed  as  they 
were  well  merited,  until,  having  fought  to  their  hearts' 
content,  and  been  drubbed  into  a  familiar  acquaintance 
with  each  other's  prowess  and  good  qualities,  they 
ended  the  fight  by  becoming  firm  friends. 

Captain  Bonneville,  learning  from  his  free  trapper 
friends  that  the  upper  part  of  the  Salmon  River  was  a 
much  better  wintering  ground  than  his  present  post  on 
the  Green,  now  made  his  arrangements  for  the  autumn 
and  the  winter.  The  nature  of  the  country  through 
which  he  was  about  to  travel  rendered  it  impossible  to 
proceed  with  waggons.  He  had  more  goods  and  sup 
plies  of  various  kinds,  also,  than  were  required  for 
present  purposes,  or  than  could  be  conveniently  trans 
ported  on  horseback ;  aided,  therefore,  by  a  few  confi 
dential  men,  he  made  caches  when  all  the  rest  of  the 
camp  were  asleep,  and  in  these  deposited  the  super 
fluous  effects,  together  with  the  waggons. 

Many  of  the  horses  were  still  so  weak  and  lame  as 
to  be  unfit  for  a  long  scramble  through  the  mountains. 
These  were  collected  into  one  cavalcade,  and  given  in 
charge  to  an  experienced  trapper  of  the  name  of 


122  The  Fur  Traders 

Matthieu,  who  was  to  proceed  westward,  with  a  brigade 
of  trappers, to  Bear  River,  and  later  rejoin  the  main  body 
at  the  proposed  winter  quarters  on  the  Salmon  River. 

Captain  Bonneville  now  broke  up  his  camp  (August 
22d)  and,  soon  passing  beyond  the  sources  of  the 
Green,  he  pursued  a  difficult  course  through  the  mount 
ains.  At  length,  on  the  igth  of  September,  he  reached 
the  upper  waters  of  Salmon  River,  and  on  the  next 
morning,  resuming  his  march  at  an  early  hour,  he  had 
not  gone  far  when  the  hunters,  who  were  beating  up 
the  country  in  the  advance,  came  galloping  back, 
making  signals  to  encamp,  and  crying,  "  Indians! 
Indians!" 

Captain  Bonneville  immediately  struck  into  a  skirt 
of  wood  and  prepared  for  action,  for  the  savages  were 
already  in  sight  trooping  over  the  hills  in  great  num 
bers.  One  of  them  left  the  main  body  and  came  for 
ward  singly,  making  signals  of  peace.  He  announced 
them  as  a  band  of  Nez  Perces  (pronounced  by  the 
trappers  Nepercy),  friendly  to  the  whites,  whereupon 
an  invitation  was  returned  by  Captain  Bonneville  for 
them  to  come  and  encamp  with  him.  Having  arranged 
themselves  in  martial  style,  the  chiefs  leading,  the 
braves  following  in  a  long  line,  painted  and  decorated, 
and  topped  off  with  fluttering  plumes,  they  advanced, 
shouting  and  singing,  firing  off  their  fusees,  and  clash 
ing  their  shields. 

The  Nez  Perec's  were  on  a  hunting  expedition,  having 
no  provisions  left  but  a  few  dried  salmon ;  yet  finding 
the  white  men  equally  in  want,  they  generously  offered 
to  share  even  this  meagre  pittance,  and  frequently  re 
peated  the  offer,  with  an  earnestness  that  left  no  doubt 
of  their  sincerity.  For  the  two  days  that  the  parties 
remained  in  company,  the  most  amicable  intercourse 


The  Nez  Perces  123 

prevailed,  and  they  parted  the  best  of  friends.  Captain 
Bonneville  detached  a  few  men,  under  Mr.  Cerre,  an 
able  leader,  to  accompany  the  Nez  Perces  on  their 
hunting  expedition,  and  to  trade  with  them  for  meat 
for  the  winter's  supply.  After  this,  he  proceeded 
down  the  river  to  establish  his  winter  quarters,  coming 
to  a  halt  for  that  purpose  on  the  26th  of  September,  five 
miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Lemhi. 

All  hands  now  set  to  work  to  prepare  a  winter  can 
tonment.  A  temporary  fortification  was  thrown  up  for 
the  protection  of  the  party ;  a  secure  and  comfortable 
pen  was  made,  into  which  the  horses  could  be  driven 
at  night;  and  huts  were  built  for  the  reception  of  the 
merchandise. 

This  done,  Captain  Bonneville  made  a  distribution 
of  his  forces;  twenty  men  were  to  remain  with  him  in 
garrison  to  protect  the  property ;  the  rest  were  organised 
into  three  brigades,  and  sent  off  in  different  directions, 
to  subsist  themselves  by  hunting  the  buffalo,  until  the 
snow  should  become  too  deep. 

Indeed,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  provide  for 
the  whole  party  in  this  neighbourhood.  It  was  at  the 
extreme  western  limit  of  the  buffalo  range,  and  these 
animals  had  recently  been  completely  hunted  out  of 
the  neighbourhood  by  the  Nez  Perces,  so  that,  although 
the  hunters  of  the  garrison  were  continually  on  the 
alert,  ranging  the  country  round,  they  brought  in 
scarce  game  sufficient  to  keep  famine  from  the  door. 

The  necessities  of  the  camp  at  length  became  so 
urgent  that  Captain  Bonneville  determined  to  despatch 
a  party  to  the  Horse  Prairie,  a  plain  to  the  north  of  his 
cantonment,  to  procure  a  supply  of  provisions.  When 
the  men  were  about  to  depart,  he  proposed  to  the  Nez 
Perec's  that  some  of  them  should  join  the  hunting 


124  The  Fur  Traders 

party.  To  his  surprise,  they  promptly  declined,  for  it 
was  a  sacred  day  with  them,  and  the  Great  Spirit 
would  be  angry  should  they  devote  it  to  hunting. 
They  offered,  however,  to  accompany  the  party  if  it 
would  wait  until  the  following  day;  but  this  the  pinch 
ing  demands  of  hunger  would  not  permit,  and  the 
detachment  proceeded. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  four  of  them  signified  to 
Captain  Bonneville  that  they  were  about  to  hunt. 
"What!"  exclaimed  he,  "without  guns  or  arrows; 
and  with  only  one  old  spear  ?  What  do  you  expect  to 
kill  ?  ' '  They  smiled  among  themselves,  but  made  no 
answer.  Preparatory  to  the  chase,  they  performed 
some  religious  rites,  and  offered  up  to  the  Great  Spirit 
a  few  short  prayers  for  safety  and  success;  then,  hav 
ing  received  the  blessings  of  their  wives,  they  leaped 
upon  their  horses  and  departed,  leaving  the  whole 
party  of  Christian  spectators  amazed  and  rebuked  by 
this  lesson  of  faith  and  dependence  on  a  supreme  and 
benevolent  Being.  "Accustomed,"  adds  Captain 
Bonneville,  "as  I  had  heretofore  been  to  find  the 
wretched  Indian  revelling  in  blood,  and  stained  by 
every  vice  which  can  degrade  human  nature,  I  could 
scarcely  realise  the  scene  which  I  had  witnessed." 

When,  in  the  course  of  four  or  five  days,  they  re 
turned,  laden  with  meat,  Captain  Bonneville  was 
curious  to  know  how  they  had  attained  such  success 
with  such  scanty  means.  They  gave  him  to  under 
stand  that  they  had  chased  the  herds  of  buffalo  at  full 
speed,  until  they  tired  them  down,  when  they  easily 
despatched  them  with  the  spear,  and  made  use  of  the 
same  weapon  to  flay  the  carcasses.  The  poor  savages 
were  as  charitable  as  they  had  been  pious,  and  gener 
ously  shared  with  the  party  the  spoils  of  their  hunting; 
giving  them  food  enough  to  last  for  several  days. 


The  Nez  Percys  125 

A  further  and  more  intimate  intercourse  with  this 
tribe  gave  Captain  Bonneville  still  greater  cause  to 
admire  their  strong  devotional  feeling.  "  Simply  to 
call  these  people  religious, ' '  says  he,  ' '  would  convey 
but  a  faint  idea  of  the  deep  hue  of  piety  and  devotion 
which  pervades  their  whole  conduct.  Their  honesty  is 
immaculate,  and  their  purity  of  purpose  and  their 
observance  of  the  rites  of  their  religion  are  most  uni 
form  and  remarkable.  They  are,  certainly,  more  like 
a  nation  of  saints  than  a  horde  of  savages." 

For  the  greater  part  of  the  month  of  November  Cap 
tain  Bonneville  remained  in  his  temporary  post  on 
Salmon  River.  He  was  now  in  the  full  enjoyment  of 
his  wishes;  leading  a  hunter's  life  in  the  heart  of  the 
wilderness,  with  all  its  wild  populace  around  him.  Be 
side  his  own  people,  motley  in  character  and  costume, 
— creole,  Kentuckian,  Indian,  half-breed,  hired  trap 
per,  and  free  trapper, — he  was  surrounded  by  encamp 
ments  of  Nez  Perces  and  Flatheads,  with  their  droves 
of  horses  covering  the  hills  and  plains.  It  was,  he 
declared,  a  wild  and  bustling  scene.  The  hunting  par 
ties  of  white  men  and  red  men,  continually  sallying 
forth  and  returning;  the  groups  at  the  various  encamp 
ments,  some  cooking,  some  working,  some  amusing 
themselves  at  different  games;  the  neighing  of  horses, 
the  braying  of  asses,  the  resounding  strokes  of  the  axe, 
the  sharp  report  of  the  rifle,  the  whoop,  the  halloo, 
and  the  frequent  burst  of  laughter  in  the  midst  of  a 
region  suddenly  roused  from  perfect  silence  and  lone 
liness  by  this  transient  hunter's  sojourn,  all  these  cir 
cumstances  realised,  he  said,  the  idea  of  a  "  populous 
solitude." 

A  familiar  intercourse  of  some  standing  with  the 
Pierced-nose  and  Flathead  Indians  had  now  convinced 


126  The  Fur  Traders 

Captain  Bonneville  of  their  amicable  and  inoffen 
sive  character;  he  began  to  take  a  strong  interest  in 
them,  and  conceived  the  idea  of  becoming  a  pacificator, 
and  healing  the  deadly  feud  between  them  and  the 
Blackfeet,  in  which  they  were  so  deplorably  the  suffer 
ers.  He  proposed  the  matter  to  some  of  the  leaders, 
and  urged  that  they  should  meet  the  Blackfeet  chiefs 
in  a  grand  pacific  conference,  offering  to  send  two  of 
his  men  to  the  enemy's  camp  with  pipe,  tobacco,  and 
flag  of  truce,  to  negotiate  the  proposed  meeting. 

The  Nez  Perec's  and  Flathead  sages,  upon  this,  held 
a  council  of  war  of  two  days'  duration,  in  which  there 
was  abundance  of  hard  smoking  and  long  talking,  and 
both  eloquence  and  tobacco  were  nearly  exhausted. 
At  length  they  came  to  a  decision  to  reject  the  worthy 
Captain's  proposition,  and  upon  pretty  substantial 
grounds,  as  the  reader  may  judge. 

"  War,"  said  the  chiefs,  "  is  a  bloody  business,  and 
full  of  evil;  but  it  keeps  the  eyes  of  the  chiefs  always 
open,  and  makes  the  limbs  of  the  young  men  strong 
and  supple.  In  war,  every  one  is  on  the  alert.  If  we 
see  a  trail,  we  know  it  must  be  an  enemy;  if  the 
Blackfeet  come  to  us,  we  know  it  is  for  war,  and  we 
are  ready.  Peace,  on  the  other  hand,  sounds  no  alarm ; 
the  eyes  of  the  chiefs  are  closed  in  sleep,  and  the  young 
men  are  sleek  and  lazy.  The  horses  stray  into  the 
mountains;  the  women  and  their  little  babes  go  about 
alone.  But  the  heart  of  a  Blackfoot  is  a  lie  and  his 
tongue  is  a  trap.  If  he  says  peace,  it  is  to  deceive :  he 
comes  to  us  as  a  brother;  he  smokes  his  pipe  with  us; 
but  when  he  sees  us  weak,  and  off  our  guard,  he  will 
slay  and  steal.  We  will  have  no  such  peace;  let  there 
be  war! " 

With  this  reasoning,  Captain  Bonneville  was  fain  to 


The  Nez  Perces  127 

acquiesce;  but,  since  the  sagacious  Flatheads  and  their 
allies  were  content  to  remain  in  a  state  of  warfare,  he 
wished  them,  at  least,  to  exercise  the  boasted  vigilance 
which  war  was  to  produce,  and  to  keep  their  eyes  open. 
All  these  counsels  were  lost  upon  his  easy  and  sim 
ple-minded  hearers.  A  careless  indifference  reigned 
throughout  their  encampments,  and  their  horses  were 
permitted  to  range  the  hills  at  night  in  perfect  free 
dom.  In  a  single  night  a  sweep  was  made  through 
the  neighbouring  pastures  by  the  Blackfeet  and 
eighty-six  of  the  finest  horses  carried  off.  A  whip  and 
a  rope  were  left  in  a  conspicuous  situation  by  the  rob 
bers,  as  a  taunt  to  the  simpletons  they  had  unhorsed. 

lyong  before  sunrise,  the  news  of  this  calamity  spread 
like  wildfire  through  the  different  encampments.  Cap 
tain  Bonneville,  whose  own  horses  remained  safe  at 
their  pickets,  watched  in  momentary  expectation  of  an 
outbreak  of  warriors,  Pierced-nose  and  Flathead,  in 
furious  pursuit  of  the  marauders;  but  no  such  thing — 
they  contented  themselves  with  searching  diligently 
over  hill  and  dale,  to  glean  up  such  horses  as  had 
escaped  the  hands  of  the  marauders,  and  then  resigned 
themselves  to  their  loss  with  the  most  exemplary 
quiescence. 

If  the  meekness  and  long-suffering  of  the  Pierced- 
noses  grieved  the  spirit  of  Captain  Bonneville,  there 
was  another  individual  in  the  camp  to  whom  they  were 
still  more  annoying.  This  was  a  Blackfeet  renegade, 
named  Kosato,  a  fiery,  hot-blooded  youth,  who,  with 
a  beautiful  girl  of  the  same  tribe,  had  taken  refuge 
among  the  Nez  Perc6s.  Though  adopted  into  the 
tribe,  he  still  retained  the  warlike  spirit  of  his  race, 
and  loathed  the  peaceful,  inoffensive  habits  of  those 
around  him. 


128  The  Fur  Traders 

The  character  and  conduct  of  this  man  attracted  the 
attention  of  Captain  Bonneville,  and  he  was  anxious 
to  hear  the  reason  why  he  had  deserted  his  tribe,  and 
why  he  looked  back  upon  them  with  such  deadly  hos 
tility.  Kosato  told  him  his  own  story  briefly ; — it  gives 
a  picture  of  the  deep,  strong  passions  that  work  in  the 
bosoms  of  these  miscalled  stoics. 

"  You  see  my  wife,"  said  he:  "  she  is  good;  she  is 
beautiful — I  love  her.  Yet  she  has  been  the  cause  of 
all  my  troubles.  She  was  the  wife  of  my  chief.  I 
loved  her  more  than  he  did;  and  she  knew  it.  We 
talked  together;  we  laughed  together;  we  were  always 
seeking  each  other's  society;  but  we  were  as  innocent 
as  children.  The  chief  grew  jealous  and  commanded 
her  to  speak  with  me  no  more.  His  heart  became 
hard  towards  her;  his  jealousy  grew  more  furious. 
He  beat  her  without  cause  and  without  mercy;  and 
threatened  to  kill  her  outright,  if  she  even  looked  at  me. 
Do  you  want  traces  of  his  fury  ?  Look  at  that  scar ! 
His  rage  against  me  was  no  less  persecuting.  War 
parties  of  the  Crows  were  hovering  round  us;  our 
young  men  had  seen  their  trail.  All  hearts  were 
roused  for  action;  my  horses  were  before  my  lodge. 
Suddenly  the  chief  came,  took  them  to  his  own  pickets, 
and  called  them  his  own.  What  could  I  do  ? — he  was 
a  chief.  I  durst  not  speak,  but  my  heart  was  burning. 
I  joined  no  longer  in  the  council,  the  hunt,  or  the  war- 
feast.  What  had  I  to  do  there  ?  an  unhorsed,  degraded 
warrior.  I  kept  by  myself,  and  thought  of  nothing 
but  these  wrongs  and  outrages. 

"I  was  sitting  one  evening  upon  a  knoll  that  over 
looked  the  meadow  where  the  horses  were  pastured.  I 
saw  the  horses  that  were  once  mine  grazing  among 
those  of  the  chief.  This  maddened  me,  and  I  sat 


The  Nez  Perces  129 

brooding  for  a  time  over  the  injuries  I  had  suffered 
and  the  cruelties  which  she  I  loved  had  endured  for 
my  sake,  until  my  heart  swelled  and  grew  sore  and 
my  teeth  were  clinched.  As  I  looked  down  upon  the 
meadow,  I  saw  the  chief  walking  among  his  horses.  I 
fastened  my  eyes  on  him  as  a  hawk's;  my  blood 
boiled ;  I  drew  my  breath  hard.  He  went  among  the 
willows.  In  an  instant  I  was  on  my  feet;  my  hand 
was  on  my  knife — I  flew  rather  than  ran;  before  he 
was  aware,  I  sprang  upon  him,  and  with  two  blows 
laid  him  dead  at  my  feet.  I  covered  his  body  with 
earth  and  strewed  bushes  over  the  place;  then  hast 
ened  to  her  I  loved,  told  her  what  I  had  done,  and 
urged  her  to  fly  with  me.  She  only  answered  me  with 
tears.  I  reminded  her  of  the  wrongs  I  had  suffered 
and  of  the  blows  and  stripes  she  had  endured  from  the 
deceased;  I  had  done  nothing  but  an  act  of  justice.  I 
again  urged  her  to  fly;  but  she  only  wept  the  more 
and  bade  me  go.  My  heart  was  heavy,  but  my  eyes 
were  dry.  I  folded  my  arms.  '  'T  is  well,'  said  I, 
'  Kosato  will  go  alone  to  the  desert.  None  will  be 
with  him  but  the  wild  beasts  of  the  desert.  The  seek 
ers  of  blood  may  follow  on  his  trail.  They  may  come 
upon  him  when  he  sleeps,  and  glut  their  revenge;  but 
you  will  be  safe.  Kosato  will  go  alone.' 

"I  turned  away.  She  sprang  after  me,  and  strained 
me  in  her  arms.  '  No,'  cried  she,  '  Kosato  shall  not  go 
alone!  Wherever  he  goes  I  will  go — he  shall  never 
part  from  me.' 

"  We  hastily  took  in  our  hands  such  things  as  we 
most  needed,  and  stealing  quietly  from  the  village, 
mounted  the  first  horses  we  encountered.  Speeding 
day  and  night,  we  soon  reached  this  tribe.  They  re 
ceived  us  with  welcome,  and  we  have  dwelt  with  them 


130  The  Fur  Traders 

in  peace.     They  are  good  and  kind ;  they  are  honest ; 
but  their  hearts  are  the  hearts  of  women. ' ' 

Such  was  the  story  of  Kosato.  It  is  of  a  kind  that 
often  occurs  in  Indian  life,  where  love  elopements  from 
tribe  to  tribe  are  frequent. 


CHAPTER  XV 
THE  RENDEZVOUS  OF  1833 

ON  the  i gth  of  December  Captain  Bonneville  and 
his  confederate  Indians  raised  their  camp  and 
entered  the  narrow  gorge  made  by  the  north  fork  of 
Salmon  River,  for  up  this  lay  the  secure  and  plenteous 
hunting  region  so  temptingly  described  by  the  Indians. 
Here,  then,  there  was  a  cessation  from  toil,  from  hun 
ger,  and  alarm.  Past  ills  and  dangers  were  forgotten. 
The  hunt,  the  game,  the  song,  the  story,  the  rough 
though  good-humoured  joke,  made  time  pass  joyously 
away,  and  plenty  and  security  reigned  throughout  the 
camp,  giving  a  seasonable  flavour  to  the  Christmas 
time. 

The  festivities,  however,  were  scarcely  over  when 
Captain  Bonneville  determined  to  start  in  person  in 
search  of  Matthieu,  whose  failure  to  reach  the  camp 
before  winter  set  in  had  caused  great  uneasiness  for  his 
safety.  Accordingly,  on  the  26th  of  December,  he  left 
the  camp,  accompanied  by  thirteen  stark  trappers  and 
hunters,  all  well  mounted  and  armed  for  dangerous  en 
terprise.  On  the  following  morning  they  passed  out 
at  the  head  of  the  mountain  gorge  and  sallied  forth 
into  the  open  plain.  As  they  confidently  expected  a 
brush  with  the  Blackfeet,  or  some  other  predatory 
horde,  they  moved  with  great  circumspection,  and 
kept  vigilant  watch  in  their  encampments. 

In  the  course  of  another  day  they  left  the  main 
131 


132  The  Fur  Traders 

branch  of  Salmon  River,  and  proceeded  south  towards 
a  pass  called  John  Day's  Defile.  It  was  severe  and 
arduous  travelling.  The  plains  were  swept  by  keen 
and  bitter  blasts  of  wintry  wind;  the  ground  was  gen 
erally  covered  with  snow,  game  was  scarce,  so  that 
hunger  generally  prevailed  in  the  camp,  while  the 
want  of  pasturage  soon  began  to  manifest  itself  in  the 
declining  vigour  of  the  horses. 

The  party  had  scarcely  encamped  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  28th,  when  two  of  the  hunters  who  had  sallied 
forth  in  quest  of  game  came  galloping  back  in  great 
alarm.  While  hunting  they  had  perceived  a  party  of 
savages,  evidently  manoeuvring  to  cut  them  off  from 
the  camp;  and  nothing  had  saved  them  from  being 
entrapped  but  the  speed  of  their  horses. 

Captain  Bonneville  then  ordered  the  horses  to  be 
driven  in  and  picketed,  and  threw  up  a  rough  breast 
work  of  fallen  trunks  of  trees,  and  the  vegetable  rub 
bish  of  the  wilderness.  Within  this  barrier  was 
maintained  a  vigilant  watch  throughout  the  night, 
which  passed  away  without  alarm.  At  early  dawn 
they  scrutinised  the  surrounding  plain,  to  discover 
whether  any  enemies  had  been  lurking  about  during 
the  night;  not  a  footprint,  however,  was  to  be  dis 
covered  in  the  coarse  gravel  with  which  the  plain  was 
covered. 

After  a  few  days  of  such  uncertainty,  hunger  began 
to  cause  them  more  fear  than  a  neighbouring  enemy. 
With  Captain  Bonneville,  however,  perseverance  was  a 
matter  of  pride.  Onward,  therefore,  the  little  band 
urged  their  way  through  difficulties  and  dangers  that 
were  at  times  appalling.  Finally  they  found  (January 
J3f  l833)  an  encampment  of  Bannock  Indians  near  the 
Snake  River,  and  in  it  two  of  Matthieu's  men,  who 


The  Rendezvous  of  1833  133 

were  there  expecting  the  main  party,  which  arrived 
somewhat  later. 

Captain  Bonneville  remained  on  Snake  River  nearly 
three  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  Matthieu  and  his  party. 
At  length,  his  horses  having  recovered  strength  suffi 
cient  for  a  journey,  he  set  out  to  visit  his  caches  on 
Salmon  River.  These  he  found  perfectly  secure,  and, 
having  secretly  opened  them,  he  selected  such  articles 
as  were  necessary  to  equip  the  free  trappers,  and  to 
supply  the  inconsiderable  trade  with  the  Indians,  after 
which  he  closed  them  again.  The  free  trappers,  being 
newly  rigged  out  and  supplied,  were  in  high  spirits, 
and  swaggered  gaily  about  the  camp.  To  compensate 
all  hands  for  past  sufferings,  and  to  give  a  cheerful 
spur  to  further  operations,  Captain  Bonneville  now 
gave  the  men  what,  in  frontier  phrase,  is  termed  "a 
regular  blow-out."  It  was  a  day  of  uncouth  gambols 
and  frolics,  and  rude  feasting.  The  Indians  joined 
in  the  sports  and  games,  and  all  was  mirth  and  good 
fellowship. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  March,  and  Captain  Bonne 
ville  made  preparations  to  open  the  spring  campaign. 
For  his  main  trapping  ground  for  the  season  he  had 
pitched  upon  the  Malade  River,  a  stream  which  rises 
nearly  south  from  the  sources  of  the  Salmon  and  flows 
south-west  into  the  Snake.  Previous  to  his  departure, 
the  Captain  despatched  Mr.  Cerre  with  a  few  men,  to 
visit  the  Indian  villages  and  purchase  horses;  he  fur 
nished  his  clerk,  Mr.  Hodgkiss,  also  with  a  small  stock 
of  goods,  to  keep  up  a  trade  with  the  Indians  during 
the  spring,  for  such  peltries  as  they  might  collect,  ap 
pointing  the  caches  on  Salmon  River  as  the  point  of 
rendezvous,  where  they  were  to  rejoin  him  on  the  I5th 
of  June  following. 


134  The  Fur  Traders 

This  done,  he  set  out  for  Malade  River  with  a  band 
of  twenty-eight  men,  composed  of  hired  and  free  trap 
pers,  and  Indian  hunters,  together  with  eight  squaws. 
About  the  beginning  of  April,  they  encamped  upon 
Godin's  River,  where  they  found  the  swamp  full  of 
"  muskrat  houses."  Here,  therefore,  Captain  Bonne- 
ville  determined  to  remain  a  few  days,  and  that  his 
maiden  campaign  might  open  with  spirit,  he  promised 
the  Indians  and  free  trappers  an  extra  price  for  every 
muskrat  they  should  take.  The  abundance  of  musk- 
rats  in  the  swamp  was  but  an  earnest  of  the  nobler 
game  they  were  to  find  when  they  should  reach  the 
Malade  River,  where  they  might  trap  at  their  leisure 
without  molestation. 

In  the  midst  of  their  gayety,  a  hunter  came  galloping 
into  the  camp,  yelling,  "A  trail!  a  trail! — lodge  poles! 
lodge  poles ! ' '  The  gayety  of  the  camp  was  at  an  end. 
Their  worst  fears  were  soon  confirmed,  for  the  scouts 
found  the  party  to  be  composed  of  twenty-two  prime 
trappers,  all  well  appointed,  with  excellent  horses  in 
capital  condition,  led  by  Milton  Sublette  and  an  able 
coadjutor  named  Gervais,  and  in  full  march  for  the 
Malade  hunting  ground. 

This  was  stunning  news.  The  Malade  River  was  the 
only  trapping  ground  within  reach;  but  to  have  to 
compete  there  with  veteran  trappers,  perfectly  at  home 
among  the  mountains  and  admirably  mounted,  while 
they  were  so  poorly  provided  with  horses  and  trappers, 
and  had  but  one  man  in  their  party  acquainted  with 
the  country — it  was  out  of  the  question ! 

The  rival  parties  now  encamped  together,  not  out  of 
companionship,  but  to  keep  an  eye  upon  each  other. 
Day  after  day  passed  by,  without  any  possibility  of 
getting  to  the  Malade  country.  Sublette  and  Gervais 


The  Rendezvous  of  1833  J35 

endeavoured  to  force  their  way  across  the  mountain; 
but  the  snows  lay  so  deep  as  to  oblige  them  to  turn 
back.  In  the  meantime,  the  Captain's  horses  were 
daily  gaining  strength,  and  their  hoofs  improving, 
which  had  been  worn  and  battered  by  mountain  serv 
ice.  The  Captain,  also,  was  increasing  his  stock  of 
provisions,  so  that  the  delay  was  all  in  his  favour. 

We  shall  not  follow  the  Captain  throughout  his 
trapping  campaign,  which  lasted  until  the  beginning 
of  June;  nor  detail  all  the  manoeuvres  of  the  rival 
trapping  parties,  and  their  various  schemes  to  outwit 
and  out-trap  each  other.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  after 
having  visited  and  camped  about  various  streams  with 
varying  success,  Captain  Bonneville  set  forward  early 
in  June  for  the  appointed  rendezvous  at  the  caches. 
On  the  way,  he  treated  his  party  to  a  grand  buffalo 
hunt.  The  scouts  had  reported  numerous  herds  in  a 
plain  beyond  an  intervening  height.  There  was  an 
immediate  halt;  the  fleetest  horses  were  forthwith 
mounted,  and  the  party  advanced  to  the  summit  of  the 
hill.  Hence  they  beheld  the  great  plain  below  abso 
lutely  swarming  with  buffalo. 

Twenty-two  horsemen  descended  cautiously  into  the 
plain,  conformably  to  the  directions  that  had  been 
given  them.  "It  was  a  beautiful  sight,"  said  the 
Captain,  "  to  see  the  runners  advancing  in  column,  at 
a  slow  trot,  until  within  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of 
the  outskirts  of  the  herd,  then  dashing  on  at  full  speed, 
until  lost  in  the  immense  multitude  of  buffaloes  scour 
ing  the  plain  in  every  direction."  In  the  meantime, 
Captain  Bonneville  and  the  residue  of  the  party  moved 
on  to  the  appointed  camping  ground;  thither  the  most 
expert  runners  succeeded  in  driving  numbers  of  buf 
falo,  which  were  killed  hard  by  the  camp,  and  the  flesh 


136  The  Fur  Traders 

transported  thither  without  difficulty.  In  a  little  while 
the  whole  camp  looked  like  one  great  slaughter-house ; 
the  carcasses  were  skilfully  cut  up,  great  fires  were 
made,  scaffolds  erected  for  drying  and  jerking  beef, 
and  an  ample  provision  was  made  for  future  subsist 
ence.  On  the  1 5th  of  June  Captain  Bonneville  and 
his  party  arrived  safely  at  the  caches,  where  he  was 
joined  by  the  other  detachments  of  his  main  party, 
all  in  good  health  and  spirits.  The  caches  were 
again  opened,  supplies  of  various  kinds  taken  out, 
and  they  celebrated  with  proper  conviviality  this 
merry  meeting. 

Soon  after  this  rendezvous,  while  he  was  on  the 
Snake  River  plain,  Captain  Bonneville  made  one  of  his 
first  essays  at  the  strategy  of  the  fur  trade.  There  was 
at  this  time  an  assemblage  of  Nez  Perces,  Flatheads, 
and  Cottonois  Indians,  encamped  together  upon  the 
plain,  well  provided  with  beaver,  which  they  had  col 
lected  during  the  spring.  These  they  were  waiting  to 
traffic  with  a  resident  trader  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Com 
pany,  who  was  stationed  among  them,  and  with  whom 
they  were  accustomed  to  deal.  As  it  happened,  the 
trader  was  almost  entirely  destitute  of  Indian  goods, 
his  spring  supply  not  having  yet  reached  him.  Cap 
tain  Bonneville  had  secret  intelligence  that  supplies 
were  on  their  way,  and  would  soon  arrive;  he  hoped, 
however,  by  a  prompt  move,  to  anticipate  their  arrival, 
and  secure  the  market  to  himself.  Throwing  himself, 
therefore,  among  the  Indians,  he  opened  his  packs  of 
merchandise,  and  displayed  the  most  tempting  wares: 
bright  cloths  and  scarlet  blankets,  and  glittering  orna 
ments,  and  everything  gay  and  glorious  in  the  eyes  of 
warrior  or  squaw — all,  however,  in  vain.  The  Hud 
son  Bay  trader  was  a  perfect  master  of  his  business, 


The  Rendezvous  of  1833  137 

thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  Indians  he  had  to  deal 
with,  and  held  such  control  over  them  that  none  dared 
to  act  openly  in  opposition  to  his  wishes:  nay  more — 
he  came  nigh  turning  the  tables  upon  the  Captain,  and 
shaking  the  allegiance  of  some  of  his  free  trappers,  by 
distributing  liquors  among  them.  The  latter,  there 
fore,  was  glad  to  give  up  a  competition,  where  the  war 
was  likely  to  be  carried  into  his  own  camp. 

In  fact,  the  traders  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  had 
advantages  over  all  competitors  in  the  trade  beyond 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  That  huge  monopoly  centred 
within  itself  not  merely  its  own  hereditary  and  long- 
established  power  and  influence,  but  also  those  of  its 
ancient  rival,  but  now  integral  part,  the  famous  North 
west  Company.  It  had  thus  its  races  of  traders,  trap 
pers,  hunters,  and  voyageurs,  born  and  brought  up  in 
its  service,  and  inheriting  from  preceding  generations 
a  knowledge  and  aptitude  in  everything  connected 
with  Indian  life  and  Indian  traffic.  In  the  process  of 
years,  this  company  had  been  enabled  to  spread  its 
ramifications  in  every  direction;  its  system  of  inter 
course  was  founded  upon  a  long  and  intimate  know 
ledge  of  the  character  and  necessities  of  the  various 
tribes,  and  of  all  the  fastnesses,  defiles,  and  favour 
able  hunting  grounds  of  the  country.  Their  capital, 
also,  and  the  manner  in  which  their  supplies  were  dis 
tributed  at  various  posts,  or  forwarded  by  regular  cara 
vans,  kept  their  traders  well  supplied,  and  enabled 
them  to  furnish  their  goods  to  the  Indians  at  a  cheap 
rate.  Their  men,  too,  being  chiefly  drawn  from  the 
Canadas,  where  they  enjoyed  great  influence  and  con 
trol,  were  engaged  at  the  most  trifling  wages,  and  sup 
ported  at  little  cost;  the  provisions  which  they  took 
with  them  being  little  more  than  Indian  corn  and 


138  The  Fur  Traders 

grease.  They  were  brought,  also,  into  the  most  per 
fect  discipline  and  subordination,  especially  when  their 
leaders  had  once  got  them  to  their  scene  of  action 
in  the  heart  of  the  wilderness. 

These  circumstances  combined  to  give  the  leaders  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  a  decided  advantage  over 
all  the  American  companies  that  came  within  their 
range;  so  that  any  close  competition  with  them  was 
almost  hopeless. 

Shortly  after  Captain  Bonneville's  ineffectual  attempt 
to  participate  in  the  trade  of  the  associated  camp,  the 
supplies  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  arrived;  and  the 
resident  trader  was  enabled  to  monopolise  the  market. 

The  Green  River  Valley  was  again  in  the  summer  of 
1833  the  scene  of  one  of  those  general  gatherings  of 
traders,  trappers,  and  Indians  that  we  have  already 
mentioned.  The  three  rival  companies,  which  for  a 
year  past  had  been  endeavouring  to  out-trade,  out-trap, 
and  outwit  each  other,  were  here  encamped  in  close 
proximity,  awaiting  their  annual  supplies.  About 
four  miles  from  the  rendezvous  of  Captain  Bonne- 
ville  was  that  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  hard 
by  which  was  that  also  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur 
Company. 

After  the  eager  rivalry  and  almost  hostility  displayed 
by  these  companies  in  their  late  campaigns,  it  might 
be  expected  that,  when  thus  brought  in  juxtaposition, 
they  would  hold  themselves  warily  and  sternly  aloof 
from  each  other,  and,  should  they  happen  to  come  in 
contact,  brawl  and  bloodshed  would  ensue. 

At  the  present  season,  however,  all  parties  were  in 
good  humour.  The  year  had  been  productive.  Com 
petition,  by  threatening  to  lessen  their  profits,  had 
quickened  their  wits;  so  that,  on  assembling  at  their 


The  Rendezvous  of  1833  139 

respective  places  of  rendezvous,  each  company  found 
itself  in  possession  of  a  rich  stock  of  peltries. 

The  leaders  of  the  different  companies,  therefore, 
mingled  on  terms  of  perfect  good  fellowship;  inter 
changing  visits,  and  regaling  each  other  in  the  best 
style  their  respective  camps  afforded.  But  the  rich 
treat  for  the  worthy  Captain  was  to  see  the  "chivalry" 
of  the  various  encampments  engaged  in  contests  of 
skill  at  running,  jumping,  wrestling,  shooting  with  the 
rifle,  and  running  horses.  And  then  their  rough 
hunters'  feastings  and  carousals.  They  drank  to 
gether,  they  sang,  they  laughed,  they  whooped;  they 
tried  to  outbrag  and  outlie  each  other  in  stories  of  their 
adventures  and  achievements.  Here  the  free  trappers 
were  in  all  their  glory;  they  considered  themselves  the 
"cocks  of  the  walk, "and  always  carried  the  highest 
crests. 

The  presence  of  the  Shoshonie  tribe  contributed  oc 
casionally  to  cause  temporary  jealousies  and  feuds. 
The  Shoshonie  beauties  became  objects  of  rivalry 
among  some  of  the  amorous  mountaineers.  Happy 
was  the  trapper  who  could  muster  up  a  red  blanket, 
a  string  of  gay  beads,  or  a  paper  of  precious  vermilion, 
with  which  to  win  the  smiles  of  a  vShoshonie  fair  one. 

The  caravans  of  supplies  arrived  at  the  valley  just  at 
this  period  of  gallantry  and  good-fellowship.  Then 
commenced  a  scene  of  eager  competition  and  wild 
prodigality  at  the  different  encampments.  A  mania 
for  purchasing  spread  itself  throughout  the  several 
bands;  munitions  for  war,  for  hunting,  for  gallantry, 
were  seized  upon  with  equal  avidity, — rifles,  hunting 
knives,  traps,  scarlet  cloth,  red  blankets,  garish  beads, 
and  glittering  trinkets  were  bought  at  any  price,  and 
scores  run  up  without  any  thought  how  they  were  ever 


140  The  Fur  Traders 

to  be  rubbed  off.  Every  freak  of  prodigality  was  in 
dulged  to  its  full  extent,  and  in  a  little  while  most  of 
the  trappers,  having  squandered  away  all  their  wages, 
and  perhaps  run  knee-deep  in  debt,  were  ready  for 
another  hard  campaign  in  the  wilderness. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

CROW  COUNTRY 


/CAPTAIN  BONNEVILLE  now  found  himself  at 
\^j  the  head  of  a  hardy  company  of  trappers,  all 
benefited  by  at  least  one  year's  experience  among  the 
mountains.  He  had,  also,  an  excellent  troop  of  horses 
in  prime  condition,  and  determined,  therefore,  to  strike 
out  into  some  of  the  bolder  parts  of  his  scheme.  One 
of  these  was  to  carry  his  expeditions  into  some  of  the 
unknown  tracts  of  the  Far  West,  beyond  what  is  gen 
erally  termed  the  buffalo  range.  Another  favourite 
project  was  to  establish  a  trading-post  on  the  lower  part 
of  the  Columbia  River,  near  the  Willamette  Valley, 
and  to  endeavour  to  retrieve  for  his  country  some  of 
the  lost  trade  of  Astoria. 

The  first  of  the  above-mentioned  views  was,  at 
present,  uppermost  in  his  mind  —  the  exploring  of  un 
known  regions.  So  important  an  undertaking  he 
confided  to  his  lieutenant,  Mr.  Walker,  in  whose 
experience  and  ability  he  had  great  confidence.  He 
instructed  him  to  keep  along  the  shores  of  the  Great 
Salt  Lake,  of  which  next  to  nothing  was  known,  and 
trap  in  all  the  streams  on  his  route;  also  to  keep  a 
journal,  and  minutely  to  record  the  events  of  his  jour 
ney,  and  everything  curious  or  interesting,  making 
maps  or  charts  of  his  route,  and  of  the  surrounding 
country. 

141 


142  The  Fur  Traders 

No  pains  nor  expense  were  spared  in  fitting  out  the 
party  of  forty  men  which  he  was  to  command.  They 
had  complete  supplies  for  a  year,  and  were  to  meet  Cap 
tain  Bonneville,  in  the  ensuing  summer,  in  the  valley 
of  Bear  River,  the  largest  tributary  of  the  Salt  Lake. 

As  soon  as  Captain  Bonneville  had  sent  Mr.  Walker 
and  his  party  on  the  journey  that  proved  so  long  and 
eventful,  he  began  to  arrange  for  the  transportation  of 
his  accumulating  peltries  to  New  York.  Mr.  Robert 
Campbell,  the  partner  of  Sublette,  was  at  the  time  in 
the  rendezvous  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company, 
having  brought  up  their  supplies.  As  he  was  about  to 
set  off  for  St.  Louis  with  that  company's  furs,  Captain 
Bonneville  decided  to  forward  his  own  by  the  same 
route  under  the  especial  care  of  Mr.  Cerr£.  Accord 
ingly  he  broke  camp  on  the  25th  of  July  in  order  to 
escort  Cerr£  in  safety  through  the  Crow  country  to  the 
point  of  embarkation  on  the  Big  Horn  River,  his  way 
lying  thence  down  the  Yellowstone  and  the  Missouri 
to  St.  Louis. 

But  first  let  us  give  the  account  of  the  Crow  country, 
as  rendered  by  Arapooish,  a  Crow  chief,  to  Mr.  Robert 
Campbell,  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company. 

4 '  The  Crow  country, ' '  said  he,  "  is  a  good  country. 
The  Great  Spirit  has  put  it  exactly  in  the  right  place ; 
while  you  are  in  it  you  fare  well;  whenever  you  go 
out  of  it,  whichever  way  you  travel,  you  fare  worse. 

' '  If  you  go  to  the  south,  you  have  to  wander  over 
great  barren  plains:  the  water  is  warm  and  bad,  and 
you  meet  the  fever  and  ague. 

' '  To  the  north  it  is  cold ;  the  winters  are  long  and 
bitter,  with  no  grass;  you  cannot  keep  horses  there, 
but  must  travel  with  dogs.  What  is  a  country  without 
horses? 


The  Crow  Country  143 

' '  On  the  Columbia  they  are  poor  and  dirty,  paddle 
about  in  canoes,  and  eat  fish.  Their  teeth  are  worn 
out;  they  are  always  taking  fish-bones  out  of  their 
mouths.  Fish  is  poor  food. 

"  To  the  east,  they  dwell  in  villages;  they  live  well; 
but  they  drink  the  muddy  water  of  the  Missouri — 
that  is  bad.  A  Crow's  dog  would  not  drink  such 
water. 

"About  the  forks  of  the  Missouri  is  a  fine  country; 
good  water;  good  grass;  plenty  of  buffalo.  In  sum 
mer,  it  is  almost  as  good  as  the  Crow  country ;  but  in 
winter  it  is  cold;  the  grass  is  gone;  and  there  is  no 
salt  weed  for  the  horses. 

"The  Crow  country  is  exactly  in  the  right  place.  It 
has  snowy  mountains  and  sunny  plains;  all  kinds  of 
climates  and  good  things  for  every  season.  When  the 
summer  heats  scorch  the  prairies,  you  can  draw  up 
under  the  mountains,  where  the  air  is  sweet  and  cool, 
the  grass  fresh,  and  the  bright  streams  come  tumbling 
out  of  the  snow-banks.  There  you  can  hunt  the  elk, 
the  deer,  and  the  antelope,  when  their  skins  are  fit  for 
dressing;  there  you  will  find  plenty  of  white  bears  and 
mountain  sheep. 

' '  In  the  autumn,  when  your  horses  are  fat  and  strong 
from  the  mountain  pastures,  you  can  go  down  into  the 
plains  and  hunt  the  buffalo,  or  trap  beaver  on  the 
streams.  And  when  winter  comes  on  you  can  take  shel 
ter  in  the  woody  bottoms  along  the  rivers;  there  you 
will  find  buffalo  meat  for  yourselves,  and  cottonwood 
bark  for  your  horses:  or  you  may  winter  in  the  Wind 
River  Valley,  where  there  is  salt  weed  in  abundance. 

' '  The  Crow  country  is  exactly  in  the  right  place. 
Everything  good  is  to  be  found  there.  There  is  no 
country  like  the  Crow  country." 


144  The  Fur  Traders 

Such  was  the  eulogium  on  his  country  by  Arapooish. 

Mr.  Robert  Campbell,  from  whom  we  have  this  ac 
count,  in  the  course  of  one  of  his  trapping  expeditions 
was  quartered  in  the  village  of  Arapooish,  and  was  a 
guest  in  the  lodge  of  the  chieftain.  He  had  collected  a 
large  quantity  of  furs,  and,  fearful  of  being  plundered, 
deposited  but  a  part  in  the  lodge  of  the  chief;  the  rest 
he  buried  in  a  cache.  One  night,  Arapooish  came  into 
the  lodge  with  a  cloudy  brow,  and  seated  himself  for  a 
time  without  saying  a  word.  At  length,  turning  to 
Campbell,  "You  have  more  furs  with  you,"  said  he, 
"  than  you  have  brought  into  my  lodge  ?  " 

' '  I  have, ' '  replied  Campbell. 

"  Where  are  they  ?" 

Campbell  knew  the  uselessness  of  any  prevarication 
with  an  Indian ;  and  the  importance  of  complete  frank 
ness.  He  described  the  exact  place  where  he  had 
concealed  his  peltries. 

"  'T  is  well,"  replied  Arapooish  ;  "  you  speak 
straight.  It  is  just  as  you  say.  But  your  cache  has 
been  robbed.  Go  and  see  how  many  skins  have  been 
taken  from  it." 

Campbell  examined  the  cache,  and  estimated  his  loss 
to  be  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  beaver  skins. 

Arapooish  now  summoned  a  meeting  of  the  village. 
He  bitterly  reproached  his  people  for  robbing  a  stranger 
who  had  confided  to  their  honour;  and  commanded 
that  whoever  had  taken  the  skins  should  bring  them 
back;  declaring  that,  as  Campbell  was  his  guest  and 
inmate  of  his  lodge,  he  would  not  eat  nor  drink  until 
every  skin  was  restored  to  him. 

The  meeting  broke  up,  and  every  one  dispersed. 
Arapooish  now  charged  Campbell  to  give  neither  re 
ward  nor  thanks  to  any  one  who  should  bring  in 


The  Crow  Country  145 

the  beaver  skins,  but  to  keep  count  as  they  were 
delivered. 

In  a  little  while  the  skins  began  to  make  their  ap 
pearance,  a  few  at  a  time;  they  were  laid  down  in  the 
lodge,  and  those  who  brought  them  departed  without 
saying  a  word.  The  day  passed  away.  Arapooish  sat 
in  one  corner  of  his  lodge,  wrapped  up  in  his  robe, 
scarcely  moving  a  muscle  of  his  countenance.  When 
night  arrived,  he  demanded  if  all  the  skins  had  been 
brought  in.  Above  a  hundred  had  been  given  up,  and 
Campbell  expressed  himself  contented.  Not  so  the 
Crow  chieftain.  He  fasted  all  that  night,  nor  tasted  a 
drop  of  water.  In  the  morning,  some  more  skins  were 
brought  in,  and  continued  to  come,  one  and  two  at 
a  time,  throughout  the  day;  until  but  a  few  were  want 
ing  to  make  the  number  complete.  Campbell  was  now 
anxious  to  put  an  end  to  this  fasting  of  the  old  chief, 
and  again  declared  that  he  was  perfectly  satisfied. 
Arapooish  demanded  what  number  of  skins  were  yet 
wanting.  On  being  told,  he  whispered  to  some  of  his 
people,  who  disappeared.  After  a  time  the  number 
were  brought  in,  though  it  was  evident  they  were  not 
any  of  the  skins  that  had  been  stolen,  but  others 
gleaned  in  the  village. 

"  Is  all  right  now  ?  "  demanded  Arapooish. 

"  All  is  right,"  replied  Campbell. 

"  Good!    Now  bring  me  meat  and  drink!  " 

When  they  were  alone  together,  Arapooish  had  a 
conversation  with  his  guest. 

"  When  you  come  another  time  among  the  Crows," 
said  he,  "don't  hide  your  goods:  trust  to  them  and 
they  will  not  wrong  you.  Put  your  goods  in  the 
lodge  of  a  chief,  and  they  are  sacred;  hide  them  in  a 
cache,  and  any  one  who  finds  will  steal  them.  My 


146  The  Fur  Traders 

people  have  now  given  up  your  goods  for  my  sake; 
but  there  are  some  foolish  young  men  in  the  village 
who  may  be  disposed  to  be  troublesome.  Don' t  linger, 
therefore,  but  pack  your  horses  and  be  off." 

Campbell  took  his  advice,  and  made  his  way  safely 
out  of  the  Crow  country.  He  has  ever  since  main 
tained  that  the  Crows  are  not  so  black  as  they  are 
painted.  ' '  Trust  to  their  honour, ' '  says  he,  ' '  and  you 
are  safe:  trust  to  their  honesty,  and  they  will  steal  the 
hair  off  of  your  head. ' ' 

Arapooish  has  an  interest  for  the  reader  of  this  nar 
rative  from  the  fact  that  he  became  chief  of  the  Crows 
when  they  were  deserted  by  Rose,  that  designing  vaga 
bond  who  acted  as  guide  and  interpreter  to  Mr.  Hunt 
and  his  party  on  their  journey  across  the  mountains  to 
Astoria.  Rose,  it  will  be  remembered,  staid  among  the 
Crows,  marrying  one  of  their  women,  and  adopting 
their  congenial  habits. 

Having  distinguished  himself  in  repeated  actions 
against  the  Blackfeet,  Rose,  on  one  occasion,  led  a 
storming  party  against  a  strong  breastwork  of  the 
enemy.  The  first  Blackfoot  that  opposed  him  he  shot 
down  with  his  rifle,  and,  snatching  up  the  war-club  of 
his  victim,  he  killed  four  others  within  the  fort.  The 
victory  was  complete,  and  Rose  returned  to  the  Crow 
village  covered  with  glory  and  distinguished  by  the 
name  of  Che-ku-kaats,  or  "  the  man  who  killed  five." 
He  became  chief  of  the  band,  and  for  a  time  he  was  the 
popular  idol ;  but  having  soon  awakened  the  envy  of 
the  native  braves,  and  tiring  of  the  feuds  that  grew 
out  of  their  hostility,  he  left  his  adopted  brethren,  and 
in  1823  went  down  the  Missouri. 

It  was  in  this  year  that  Rose,  as  interpreter,  served 
General  Ashley  faithfully,  and  warned  that  gentleman 


The  Crow  Country  147 

of  the  impending  attack  by  the  Aricaras.  He  also 
proved  very  valuable  in  the  same  capacity  to  Colonel 
Leavenworth,  who  so  promptly  followed  up  the  defeat 
of  Ashley  with  an  expedition  against  the  offending 
Aricaras. 

When  General  Atkinson  made  his  military  expedi 
tion  up  the  Missouri,  in  1825,  to  protect  the  fur  trade, 
he  held  a  conference  with  the  Crow  nation,  at  which 
Rose  figured  as  Indian  dignitary  and  Crow  interpreter. 
While  the  general  and  the  chiefs  were  smoking  pipes 
and  making  speeches,  the  officers,  supposing  all  was 
friendly,  left  the  troops,  and  drew  near  the  scene  of 
ceremonial.  Some  of  the  more  knowing  Crows,  per 
ceiving  this,  stole  quietly  to  the  camp,  and,  unobserved, 
contrived  to  stop  the  touch-holes  of  the  field-pieces 
with  dirt.  Shortly  after,  a  misunderstanding  occurred 
in  the  conference:  some  of  the  Indians,  knowing  the 
cannon  to  be  useless,  became  insolent.  A  tumult  arose. 
In  the  confusion,  Colonel  O'  Fallen  snapped  a  pistol  in 
the  face  of  a  brave,  and  knocked  him  down  with  the 
butt  end.  The  Crows  were  all  in  a  fury.  A  chance- 
medley  fight  was  on  the  point  of  taking  place,  when 
Rose,  his  natural  sympathies  as  a  white  man  suddenly 
recurring,  broke  the  stock  of  his  fusee  over  the  head 
of  a  Crow  warrior,  and  laid  so  vigorously  about  him 
with  the  barrel,  that  he  soon  put  the  whole  throng  to 
flight.  Luckily,  as  no  lives  had  been  lost,  this  sturdy 
rib  roasting  calmed  the  fury  of  the  Crows,  and  the 
tumult  ended  without  serious  consequences. 

Of  the  later  life  of  Rose  nothing  is  known,  nor  the 
manner  of  his  death.  His  grave  is  still  pointed  out  on 
the  bank  of  the  Missouri  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of 
the  Milk  River.  His  career  among  the  Crow  Indians 
had  the  effect  of  strengthening  them  as  a  nation  against 


148  The  Fur  Traders 

the  Blackfeet — their  natural  enemy — and  it  also  showed 
them  the  advantage  of  allying  themselves  with  the 
whites,  toward  whom  they  gradually  inclined,  though 
they  seem  never  to  have  overcome  their  thievish  pro 
pensities. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  WIND  RIVER  MOUNTAINS 

CAPTAIN  BONNBVILIvE  proceeded  around  the 
\^4  south  point  of  the  Wind  River  Mountains,  and 
reached  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Big  Horn  with 
out  other  incident  than  a  visit  on  the  way  to  a  ' '  Tar 
Spring, "  the  medicinal  properties  of  which  were  highly 
praised  by  trappers.  Here  the  men  hastened  to  gather 
a  quantity  of  what  we  now  know  as  petroleum,  but 
which  was  then  a  remedy  of  great  rarity,  forming  the 
principal  ingredient  in  the  medicine  then  called  British 
Oil,  and  also  called  Seneca  Oil,  from  being  found  near 
Seneca  L,ake  in  the  State  of  New  York.  The  men 
used  it  for  their  bruises,  sprains,  and  sore  muscles,  and 
for  similar  purposes  in  connection  with  their  horses. 

His  route  had  been  across  the  valley  of  the  Green 
River,  through  the  South  Pass,  and  down  the  Popo 
Agie  to  the  Big  Horn.  A  few  days  before  reaching 
that  point,  Captain  Bonneville  fell  in  with  Campbell 
and  his  party,  which  consisted  of  his  escort  for  the  trip 
down  the  river,  of  his  partners  Fitzpatrick  and  Milton 
Sublette,  and  of  Nathaniel  J.  Wyeth.  All  but  Fitz 
patrick  were  bound  down  the  river;  but  in  fear  of  him, 
Captain  Bonneville  detached  secretly  two  trapping 
parties  to  preoccupy  the  valleys  he  had  selected  and  to 
meet  him  later  at  Medicine  I^odge  Valley.  In  this  ap 
prehension,  however,  he  was  mistaken,  for  the  moment 

149 


150  The  Fur  Traders 

Campbell  and  his  men  had  embarked  with  their  pre 
cious  freight,  Fitzpatrick  took  charge  of  all  the  horses, 
numbering  a  hundred,  and  struck  off  to  the  east  (in 
stead  of  the  west)  to  trap  upon  the  Little  Horn,  Powder, 
and  Tongue  rivers.  It  may  be  added  here  that  within 
a  month  he  was  robbed  by  the  Crows  of  all  his  horses 
and  stripped  of  all  he  had. 

Meantime  all  hands  had  set  to  work  to  build  "  bull 
boats ' '  for  the  trip  to  St.  Louis.  Wyeth  was  ready 
first;  and,  with  his  usual  promptness  and  hardihood, 
launched  his  frail  bark,  singly,  on  this  wild  and 
hazardous  voyage,  taking  with  him  Milton  Sublette, 
his  former  fellow-traveller  and  his  companion  in  the 
battle  at  Pierre's  Hole.  A  detailed  account  of  this 
trip  has  been  preserved,  and  is  given  in  a  later  chapter. 
Mr.  Campbell  took  command  of  his  own  boats;  and 
Mr.  Cerre"  and  a  party  of  thirty-six  men,  of  Captain 
Bonneville's,  the  combined  forces  making  a  truly 
formidable  array  as  they  set  off  down  the  bright  cur 
rent  of  the  Big  Horn. 

Now  that  Fitzpatrick  had  set  out  in  the  direction 
opposite  to  his  own  intended  course,  Captain  Bonne ville 
was  free  to  prosecute  his  trapping  campaign  without 
rivalry.  Accordingly,  on  the  iyth  of  August,  he  set 
out  for  the  rendezvous  at  Medicine  Lodge.  He  had 
but  four  men  remaining  with  him,  and  forty-six 
horses  to  take  care  of.  With  these  he  had  to  make 
his  way  through  a  region  full  of  peril  for  a  numerous 
cavalcade  so  slightly  manned.  In  fact,  during  the 
afternoon  of  his  first  day's  march,  he  observed,  to  his 
disquiet,  a  cloud  of  smoke  arising  from  the  base  of  the 
Big  Horn  Mountains,  and  came  upon  a  deserted  Black- 
foot  camp  and  fresh  traces  of  these  Indians.  He, 
therefore,  avoided  this  dangerous  neighbourhood,  pro- 


The  Wind  River  Mountains          151 

ceeding  with,  the  utmost  caution,  for  it  was  dangerous 
to  light  a  fire  or  discharge  a  gun,  where  such  quick- 
eared  and  quick-sighted  enemies  were  at  hand. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  march,  hunger  got  the  better 
of  their  caution,  and  they  shot  a  fine  buffalo  bull;  but, 
without  halting  to  make  a  meal,  they  carried  the  meat 
with  them  to  the  rendezvous,  where  they  celebrated 
their  safe  arrival  by  a  hearty  supper.  Next  morning 
they  erected  a  strong  pen  for  the  horses,  and  a  fortress 
of  logs  for  themselves,  continuing  to  observe  the  great 
est  caution,  even  in  regard  to  their  cooking,  which  was 
all  done  at  midday,  when  a  fire  makes  no  glare  and 
a  moderate  smoke  cannot  be  perceived  at  any  great 
distance. 

In  this  way  the  little  party  remained  for  several  days, 
until,  on  2Qth  of  August,  the  two  detachments  they 
had  been  expecting  arrived  together  at  the  rendezvous. 
From  the  reports  thus  brought  to  him,  Captain  Bonne- 
ville  was  sure  that  he  was  in  a  region  teeming  with 
danger. 

He  broke  up  his  encampment,  therefore,  on  the  ist  of 
September,  and  made  his  way  to  the  south,  across  the 
Little  Horn  Mountain,  until  he  reached  Wind  River, 
and  then  turning  westward,  moved  slowly  up  the 
banks  of  that  stream,  giving  time  for  his  men  to  trap 
as  he  proceeded.  As  it  was  not  in  the  plan  of  the  pre 
sent  hunting  campaign  to  go  near  the  caches  on  Green 
River,  and  as  the  trappers  were  in  want  of  traps  to  re 
place  those  they  had  lost,  Captain  Bonneville  undertook 
to  visit  the  caches,  and  procure  a  supply.  To  accom 
pany  him  in  this  hazardous  expedition,  which  would 
take  him  through  the  defiles  of  the  Wind  River  Mount 
ains,  and  up  the  Green  River  Valley,  he  took  but 
three  men;  the  main  party  were  to  continue  on  trapping 


152  The  Fur  Traders 

up  towards  the  head  of  Wind  River,  near  which  he 
was  to  rejoin  them,  just  about  the  place  where  that 
stream  issues  from  the  mountains. 

Having  forded  Wind  River  a  little  above  its  mouth, 
Captain  Bonneville  and  his  three  companions  proceeded 
across  a  gravelly  plain,  until  they  fell  upon  the  Popo 
Agie,  up  the  left  bank  of  which  they  held  their  course, 
nearly  in  a  southerly  direction.  Here  they  came  upon 
numerous  droves  of  buffalo,  and  halted  for  the  purpose 
of  procuring  a  supply  of  beef.  As  the  hunters  were 
stealing  cautiously  to  get  within  shot  of  the  game,  two 
small  white  bears  suddenly  presented  themselves  in 
their  path,  and,  rising  upon  their  hind  legs,  contem 
plated  them  for  some  time,  with  a  whimsically  solemn 
gaze.  The  hunters  remained  motionless;  whereupon 
the  bears,  having  apparently  satisfied  their  curiosity, 
lowered  themselves  upon  all  fours,  and  began  to  with 
draw.  The  hunters  now  advanced,  upon  which  the 
bears  turned,  rose  again  upon  their  haunches,  and  re 
peated  their  serio-comic  examination.  This  was  re 
peated  several  times,  until  the  hunters,  piqued  at  their 
unmannerly  staring,  rebuked  it  with  a  discharge  of 
their  rifles.  The  bears  made  an  awkward  bound  or 
two,  as  if  wounded,  and  then  walked  off  with  great 
gravity,  seeming  to  commune  together,  and  every  now 
and  then  turning  to  take  another  look  at  the  hunters. 

The  hunters  succeeded  in  killing  a  couple  of  fine 
cows,  and,  having  secured  the  best  of  the  meat,  con 
tinued  forward  until  some  time  after  dark,  when, 
encamping  in  a  large  thicket  of  willows,  they  made  a 
great  fire,  roasted  buffalo  beef  enough  for  half  a  score, 
disposed  of  the  whole  of  it  with  keen  relish  and  high 
glee,  and  then  ' '  turned  in ' '  for  the  night  and  slept 
soundly,  like  weary  and  well-fed  hunters. 


The  Wind  River  Mountains         153 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day,  the  travellers  at 
tained  one  of  the  elevated  valleys  locked  up  in  the  Wind 
River  Mountains  through  which  they  were  trying  to 
cross.  Here  were  two  bright  and  beautiful  little  lakes, 
set  like  mirrors  in  the  midst  of  stern  and  rocky  heights, 
and  surrounded  by  grassy  meadows,  inexpressibly  re 
freshing  to  the  eye.  They  had  now  ascended  to  a  great 
height  above  the  level  of  the  plains,  yet  they  beheld 
huge  crags  of  granite  piled  one  upon  another,  and 
beetling  like  battlements  far  above  them.  While  two 
of  the  men  remained  in  the  camp  with  the  horses,  Cap 
tain  Bonneville,  accompanied  by  the  other  man,  reached 
the  summit  of  a  lofty  cliff,  but  it  was  only  to  behold 
gigantic  peaks  rising  all  around.  For  a  time,  the  In 
dian  fable  seemed  realised :  he  had  attained  that  height 
from  which  the  Blackfoot  warrior  after  death  first 
catches  a  view  of  the  land  of  souls,  and  beholds  the 
happy  hunting  grounds  spread  out  below  him,  brighten 
ing  with  the  abodes  of  the  free  and  generous  spirits. 

The  view  from  the  snowy  peak  of  the  Wind  River 
Mountains,  while  it  excited  Captain  Bonneville' s  en 
thusiasm,  satisfied  him  that  it  would  be  useless  to  force 
a  passage  westward,  through  multiplying  barriers  of 
cliffs  and  precipices.  Turning  his  face  eastward, 
therefore,  he  endeavoured  to  descend,  and  to  extricate 
himself  from  the  heart  of  this  rock-piled  wilderness. 

On  the  second  day  of  their  descent,  the  travellers, 
having  got  beyond  the  steepest  pitch  of  the  mountains, 
came  to  where  the  deep  and  rugged  ravine  began  occa 
sionally  to  expand  into  small  levels  or  valleys.  Here, 
not  merely  the  river  itself,  but  every  rivulet  flowing 
into  it,  was  dammed  up  by  communities  of  industrious 
beavers,  so  as  to  innundate  the  neighbourhood,  and 
make  continual  swamps. 


154  The  Fur  Traders 

During  a  midday  halt  in  one  of  these  beaver  valleys, 
Captain  Bonneville  left  his  companions,  and  strolled 
down  the  course  of  the  stream  to  reconnoitre.  He  had 
not  proceeded  far,  when  he  came  to  a  beaver  pond,  and 
caught  a  glimpse  of  one  of  its  painstaking  inhabitants 
busily  at  work  upon  the  dam.  He  moved  forward 
with  the  utmost  caution  until,  having  attained  a  posi 
tion  commanding  a  view  of  the  whole  pond,  he  stretched 
himself  flat  on  the  ground,  and  watched  the  solitary 
workman.  In  a  little  while,  three  others  appeared  at 
the  head  of  the  dam,  bringing  sticks  and  bushes.  With 
these  they  proceeded  directly  to  the  barrier,  which  Cap 
tain  Bonneville  perceived  was  in  need  of  repair.  Hav 
ing  deposited  their  loads  upon  the  broken  part,  they 
dived  into  the  water,  and  shortly  reappeared  at  the 
surface.  Each  now  brought  a  quantity  of  mud,  with 
which  he  would  plaster  the  sticks  and  bushes  just  de 
posited.  This  kind  of  masonry  was  continued  for  some 
time,  repeated  supplies  of  wood  and  mud  being  brought, 
and  treated  in  the  same  manner.  This  done,  the  in 
dustrious  beavers  indulged  in  a  little  recreation,  chas 
ing  each  other  about  the  pond,  dodging  and  whisking 
about  on  the  surface,  or  diving  to  the  bottom;  and  in 
their  frolic  often  slapping  their  tails  on  the  water  with 
a  loud,  clacking  sound.  While  they  were  thus  amusing 
themselves,  another  of  the  fraternity  made  his  appear 
ance,  and  looked  gravely  on  their  sports  for  some  time, 
without  offering  to  join  in  them.  He  then  climbed  the 
bank  close  to  where  the  Captain  was  concealed,  and, 
rearing  himself  on  his  hind  quarters,  in  a  sitting  posi 
tion,  put  his  fore  paws  against  a  young  pine-tree,  and 
began  to  cut  the  bark  with  his  teeth.  At  times  he 
would  tear  off  a  small  piece,  and  holding  it  between 
his  paws,  and  retaining  his  sitting  position,  would  feed 


The  Wind  River  Mountains         155 

himself  with  it,  after  the  fashion  of  a  monkey.  The 
object  of  the  beaver,  however,  was  evidently  to  cut 
down  the  tree;  and  he  was  proceeding  with  his  work, 
when  he  was  alarmed  by  the  approach  of  Captain 
Bonneville's  men,  who,  feeling  anxious  at  the  pro 
tracted  absence  of  their  leader,  were  coming  in  search 
of  him.  At  the  sound  of  their  voices,  all  the  beavers, 
busy  as  well  as  idle,  dived  at  once  beneath  the  surface, 
and  were  no  more  to  be  seen. 

Great  choice,  according  to  the  Captain,  is  certainly 
displayed  by  the  beaver  in  selecting  the  wood  which  is 
to  furnish  bark  for  winter  provision.  The  whole 
beaver  household,  old  and  young,  set  out  upon  this 
business,  and  will  often  make  long  journeys  before 
they  are  suited.  Sometimes  they  cut  down  trees  of  the 
largest  size  and  then  cull  the  branches,  the  bark  of 
which  is  most  to  their  taste.  These  they  cut  into 
lengths  of  about  three  feet,  convey  them  to  the  water, 
and  float  them  to  their  lodges,  where  they  are  stored 
away  for  winter.  They  are  studious  of  cleanliness  and 
comfort  in  their  lodges,  and  after  their  repasts  will 
carry  out  the  sticks  from  which  they  have  eaten  the 
bark,  and  throw  them  into  the  current  beyond  the  bar 
rier.  They  are  jealous,  too,  of  their  territories,  and 
extremely  pugnacious,  never  permitting  a  strange 
beaver  to  enter  their  premises,  and  often  fighting  with 
such  virulence  as  almost  to  tear  each  other  to  pieces. 
In  the  spring,  which  is  the  breeding  season,  the  male 
leaves  the  female  at  home,  and  sets  off  on  a  tour  of 
pleasure,  rambling  often  to  a  great  distance.  As  sum 
mer  advances,  he  gives  up  his  bachelor  rambles,  and  be 
thinking  himself  of  housekeeping  duties,  returns  home 
to  his  new  mate  and  his  progeny,  and  marshals  them  all 
for  the  foraging  expedition  in  quest  of  winter  provisions. 


156  The  Fur  Traders 

Practice  has  given  such  quickness  to  the  eye  of  the 
experienced  trapper  that  he  can  detect  the  slightest 
sign  of  beaver,  no  matter  how  well  concealed  the  lodge 
may  be  by  close  thickets  and  overhanging  willows.  He 
now  goes  to  work  to  set  his  trap,  planting  it  on  the 
shore  in  some  chosen  place,  two  or  three  inches  below 
the  surface  of  the  water,  and  secures  it  by  a  chain  to  a 
pole  set  deep  in  the  mud.  A  small  twig  is  then  stripped 
of  its  bark,  and  one  end  is  dipped  in  the  "  medicine," 
as  the  trappers  term  the  peculiar  bait  which  they  em 
ploy.  This  end  of  the  stick  rises  about  four  inches 
above  the  surface  of  the  water,  the  other  end  is  planted 
between  the  jaws  of  the  trap.  The  beaver,  possessing 
an  acute  sense  of  smell,  is  soon  attracted  by  the  odour 
of  the  bait.  As  he  raises  his  nose  towards  it,  his  foot 
is  caught  in  the  trap.  In  his  fright  he  throws  a  somer 
set  into  the  deep  water.  The  trap,  being  fastened  to 
the  pole,  resists  all  his  efforts  to  drag  it  to  the  shore ; 
the  chain  by  which  it  is  fastened  defies  his  teeth;  he 
struggles  for  a  time,  and  at  length  sinks  to  the  bottom 
and  is  drowned. 

Occasionally  it  happens  that  several  members  of  a 
beaver  family  are  trapped  in  succession.  The  surviv 
ors  then  become  extremely  shy,  and  can  scarcely  be 
"  brought  to  medicine,"  to  use  the  trapper's  phrase  for 
4 '  taking  the  bait. ' '  In  such  case  the  trapper  gives  up 
the  use  of  the  bait,  and  conceals  his  traps  in  the  usual 
paths  and  crossing-places  of  the  household.  The 
beaver,  now  being  completely  "up  to  trap,"  approaches 
them  cautiously,  and  springs  them  ingeniously  with  a 
stick.  At  other  times  he  turns  the  traps  bottom  up 
wards,  by  the  same  means,  and  occasionally  even 
drags  them  to  the  barrier  and  conceals  them  in  the 
mud.  The  trapper  now  gives  up  the  contest  of  in- 


The  Wind  River  Mountains          157 

genuity,  and,  shouldering  his  traps,  marches  off,  admit 
ting  that  he  is  not  yet  "up  to  beaver." 

On  the  day  following  Captain  Bonneville's  super 
vision  of  the  industrious  and  frolicsome  community  of 
beavers,  he  succeeded  in  extricating  himself  from  the 
Wind  River  Mountains,  and,  regaining  the  plain  to  the 
eastward,  made  a  great  bend  to  the  south,  so  as  to  go 
round  the  bases  of  the  mountains,  and  arrived  without 
further  incident  of  importance  at  the  old  place  of  ren 
dezvous  in  Green  River  Valley,  on  the  iyth  of  Septem 
ber. 

A  week  later  they  were  back  again  with  the  main 
body;  and  both  had  many  adventures  to  tell.  The 
others,  in  pursuing  their  course  up  the  Wind  River 
Valley,  had  been  dogged  the  whole  way  by  a  war 
party  of  Crows.  In  one  place,  they  had  been  fired 
upon,  but  without  injury;  in  another  place,  one  of 
their  horses  had  been  cut  loose,  and  carried  off.  Some 
of  the  trappers,  however,  pursued  their  vocations  about 
the  neighbouring  streams  whenever  there  was  a  halt. 
While  one  of  them  was  setting  his  traps,  he  heard  the 
tramp  of  horses,  and  looking  up,  beheld  a  party  of  Crow 
braves  moving  along  at  no  great  distance,  with  a  con 
siderable  cavalcade.  The  trapper  was  discerned  by  the 
quick  eye  of  the  savages,  and  with  whoops  and  yells 
they  dragged  him  from  his  hiding-place,  flourished  over 
his  head  their  tomahawks  and  scalping-knives,  and  for 
a  time  the  poor  trapper  gave  himself  up  for  lost.  For 
tunately,  the  Crows  were  in  a  jocose  mood,  amusing 
themselves  heartily  at  the  expense  of  his  terrors;  and 
after  having  played  off  divers  Crow  pranks  and  pleas 
antries,  suffered  him  to  depart  unharmed.  It  is  true, 
they  stripped  him  completely,  one  taking  his  horse, 
another  his  gun,  a  third  his  traps,  a  fourth  his  blanket, 


158  The  Fur  Traders 

and  so  on,  through  all  his  accoutrements,  and  even  his 
clothing,  until  he  was  stark  naked ;  but  then  they  gen 
erously  made  him  a  present  of  an  old  tattered  buffalo 
robe,  and  dismissed  him,  with  many  complimentary 
speeches,  and  much  laughter. 

When  the  trapper  returned  to  the  camp,  in  such 
sorry  plight,  he  was  greeted  with  peals  of  laughter 
from  his  comrades,  and  seemed  more  mortified  by  the 
style  in  which  he  had  been  dismissed  than  rejoiced  at 
escaping  with  his  life.  The  Crows  had  evidently  had 
a  run  of  luck,  and,  like  winning  gamblers,  were  in  high 
good  humour.  Among  twenty-six  fine  horses,  and 
some  mules,  which  composed  their  cavalcade,  the  trap 
per  recognised  a  number  which  had  belonged  to  Fitz- 
patrick's  brigade,  when  they  parted  company  on  the 
Big  Horn.  It  was  supposed,  therefore,  that  these 
vagabonds  had  been  on  his  trail,  and  robbed  him  of 
part  of  his  cavalry. 

On  the  day  following  this  affair, three  Crows  came  into 
Captain  Bonneville's  camp,  with  the  most  easy,  inno 
cent,  if  not  impudent,  air  imaginable;  walking  about 
with  that  imperturbable  coolness  and  unconcern  in 
which  the  Indian  rivals  the  fine  gentleman.  As  they 
had  not  been  of  the  set  which  stripped  the  trapper, 
though  evidently  of  the  same  band,  they  were  not  mo 
lested.  Indeed,  Captain  Bonneville  treated  them  with 
his  usual  kindness,  permitting  them  to  remain  all  day 
in  the  camp,  and  even  to  pass  the  night  there.  At  the 
same  time,  however,  he  caused  a  strict  watch  to  be 
maintained  on  all  their  movements;  and  at  night  sta 
tioned  an  armed  sentinel  near  them,  for  he  suspected 
them  to  be  spies.  He  warned  his  guests,  that  while 
they  were  perfectly  welcome  to  the  shelter  and  comfort 
of  his  camp,  yet,  should  any  of  their  tribe  venture  to 


The  Wind  River  Mountains          159 

approach  during  the  night,  they  would  certainly  be 
shot;  which  would  be  a  very  unfortunate  circumstance, 
and  much  to  be  deplored.  To  the  latter  remark,  they 
fully  assented;  and  shortly  afterward  commenced  a 
wild  song,  or  chant,  which  they  kept  up  for  a  long 
time.  In  this  they  very  probably  gave  their  friends 
notice  that  the  white  men  were  on  the  alert.  In  the 
morning,  the  three  Crow  guests  were  very  pressing 
that  Captain  Bonneville  and  his  party  should  accom 
pany  them  to  their  camp,  which  they  said  was  close 
by.  Instead  of  accepting  their  invitation,  Captain 
Bonneville  took  his  departure  with  all  possible  de 
spatch,  eager  to  be  out  of  the  vicinity  of  such  a  piratical 
horde. 

As  the  time  had  now  arrived  for  Captain  Bonneville 
to  go  in  quest  of  the  party  of  free  trappers,  detached 
in  the  beginning  of  July,  under  the  command  of  Mr. 
Hodgkiss,  he  took  a  temporary  leave  of  his  band,  ap 
pointing  a  rendezvous  on  Snake  River,  and,  accom 
panied  by  three  men,  set  out  upon  his  journey. 

Except  for  a  friendly  meeting  with  a  small  band  of 
Bannock  Indians,  the  trip,  which  lasted  from  the  nth 
to  the  2oth  of  November,  was  without  incident,  and  he 
readily  found  the  trail  and  then  the  encampment  of 
Hodgkiss  and  his  free  trappers.  Meantime  he  had  de 
termined  upon  a  spot  for  winter  quarters  along  the 
Snake  River,  not  far  from  the  Portneuf,  whither  he 
soon  lead  his  reunited  band. 

Winter  then  set  in  regularly.  The  snow  fell  fre 
quently  and  in  large  quantities,  and  covered  the  ground 
to  the  depth  of  a  foot;  and  the  continued  coldness  of 
the  weather  prevented  any  thaw.  By  degrees,  a  dis 
trust  which  at  first  subsisted  between  the  Bannock  In 
dians,  who  were  encamped  near  by,  and  the  trappers 


160  The  Fur  Traders 

subsided,  and  gave  way  to  mutual  confidence  and 
good-will.  A  few  presents  convinced  the  chiefs  that 
the  white  men  were  their  friends:  nor  were  the  white 
men  wanting  in  proofs  of  the  honesty  and  good  faith 
of  their  savage  neighbours. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

DOWN  THE  COLUMBIA 

BEING  convinced  that  his  people  would  pass  their 
winter  unmolested,  Captain  Bonneville  prepared 
for  a  reconnoitring  expedition  of  great  extent  and 
peril.  This  was,  to  penetrate  to  the  Hudson  Bay 
establishments  on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia,  and  to 
make  himself  acquainted  with  the  country  and  the  In 
dian  tribes;  it  being  one  part  of  his  scheme  to  establish 
a  trading  post  on  the  lower  part  of  the  river,  so  as  to 
participate  in  the  trade  lost  to  the  United  States  by  the 
capture  of  Astoria. 

He  chose  three  companions  for  his  journey,  put  up 
a  small  stock  of  necessaries  in  the  most  portable  form, 
and  selected  five  horses  and  mules  for  themselves  and 
their  baggage.  All  these  arrangements  being  com- 
pleted,  he  mounted  his  horse  on  Christmas  morning, 
and  set  off  with  his  three  comrades.  They  halted  a 
little  beyond  the  Bannock  camp,  and  made  their  Christ 
mas  dinner,  which,  if  not  a  very  merry,  was  a  very 
hearty  one;  after  which  they  resumed  their  journey. 

We  will  not  pretend  to  accompany  the  travellers  step 
by  step  in  the  tremendous  mountain  scrambles  into 
which  they  unconsciously  betrayed  themselves.  Day 
after  day  did  their  toil  continue;  peak  after  peak  had 
they  to  traverse,  struggling  with  difficulties  and  hard 
ships  known  only  to  the  mountain  trapper.  As  their 
ii 

161 


1 62  The  Fur  Traders 

course  lay  north,  they  had  to  ascend  the  southern  faces 
of  the  heights,  where  the  sun  had  so  melted  the  snow 
as  to  render  the  ascent  wet  and  slippery,  and  to  keep 
both  men  and  horses  continually  on  the  strain ;  while 
on  the  northern  sides,  the  snow  lay  in  such  heavy 
masses  that  it  was  necessary  to  beat  a  track  down 
which  the  horses  might  be  led. 

They  and  their  horses  were  almost  ready  to  give  out 
with  fatigue  and  hunger,  when  one  afternoon,  just  as 
the  sun  was  sinking,  they  came  to  the  brow  of  a  height 
from  which  they  beheld  a  smooth  valley  stretched  out 
in  smiling  verdure  before  them.  The  sight  inspired 
almost  a  frenzy  of  delight.  Roused  to  new  ardour, 
they  forgot  for  a  time  their  fatigues,  and  hurried  down 
the  mountain,  dragging  their  jaded  horses  after  them, 
and  sometimes  compelling  them  to  slide  a  distance  of 
thirty  or  forty  feet  at  a  time. 

It  was  now  (the  i6th  of  February)  fifty-three  days 
that  they  had  been  travelling  in  the  midst  of  winter, 
exposed  to  all  kinds  of  privations  and  hardships ;  and 
for  the  last  twenty  days  they  had  been  entangled  in 
the  wild  and  desolate  labyrinths  of  snowy  mountains. 
Hence,  it  added  much  to  their  joy  to  observe  Indian 
trails  along  the  margin  of  the  stream,  and  other  signs 
which  gave  them  reason  to  believe  that  there  was  an 
encampment  of  the  Lower  Nez  Perec's  in  the  neighbour 
hood.  In  fact,  next  day  they  caught  sight  of  an  Indian 
horseman  at  a  distance.  When  he  saw  them,  he  sud 
denly  came  to  a  halt  and  seemed  about  to  make  a  cau 
tious  retreat.  He  remained  for  some  time  in  doubt; 
but  at  length,  having  satisfied  himself  that  they  were 
not  enemies,  came  galloping  up  to  them,  mounted  on 
a  high-mettled  steed,  with  gaudy  trappings  and  equip 
ments. 


Down  the  Columbia  163 

Approaching  them  with  an  air  of  protection,  he  gave 
them  his  hand,  and,  in  the  Nez  Perce"  language,  invited 
them  to  his  camp,  which  was  only  a  few  miles  distant. 
There  he  had  plenty  to  eat,  and  plenty  of  horses,  and 
would  cheerfully  share  his  good  things  with  them. 
Then,  wheeling  round  and  giving  reins  to  his  mettle 
some  steed,  he  was  soon  out  of  sight.  The  travellers 
followed  with  gladdened  hearts,  but  at  a  snail's  pace; 
for  their  poor  horses  could  scarcely  drag  one  leg  after 
the  othei.  Captain  Bonneville,  however,  experienced 
a  sudden  and  singular  change  of  feeling.  Hitherto, 
the  necessity  of  conducting  his  party,  and  of  providing 
against  every  emergency,  had  kept  his  mind  upon  the 
stretch,  and  his  whole  system  braced  and  excited.  Now 
that  all  danger  was  over,  and  the  march  of  a  few  miles 
would  bring  them  to  repose  and  abundance,  his  ener 
gies  suddenly  deserted  him ;  and  every  faculty,  mental 
and  physical,  was  totally  relaxed.  He  had  not  pro 
ceeded  two  miles  when  he  threw  himself  upon  the  earth 
without  the  power  or  will  to  move  a  muscle  or  exert  a 
thought,  and  sank  almost  instantly  into  a  profound  and 
dreamless  sleep.  His  companions  came  to  a  halt,  and 
encamped  beside  him,  and  there  they  passed  the  night. 

The  next  morning  Captain  Bonneville  awoke  from 
his  long  and  heavy  sleep,  much  refreshed ;  and  they  all 
resumed  their  creeping  progress.  They  had  not  been 
long  on  the  march,  when  eight  or  ten  of  the  Nez  Perce" 
tribe  came  galloping  to  meet  them,  leading  fresh  horses 
to  bear  them  to  their  camp.  Thus  gallantly  mounted, 
they  felt  new  life  infused  into  their  languid  frames, 
and  dashing  forward,  were  soon  at  the  lodges  of  the 
Nez  Perces.  Here  they  found  about  twelve  families 
living  together,  under  the  patriarchal  sway  of  an  an 
cient  and  venerable  chief.  He  received  them  with  the 


164  The  Fur  Traders 

hospitality  of  the  golden  age,  and  with  something  of 
the  same  kind  of  fare;  for  while  he  opened  his  arms  to 
make  them  welcome,  the  only  repast  he  set  before  them 
consisted  of  roots.  They  could  have  wished  for  some 
thing  more  hearty  and  substantial;  but,  for  want  of 
better,  made  a  voracious  meal  on  these  humble  viands. 
The  repast  being  over,  the  best  pipe  was  lighted  and 
sent  round;  this  was  a  most  welcome  luxury,  for  they 
had  lost  their  smoking  apparatus  twelve  days  before, 
among  the  mountains. 

While  they  were  thus  enjoying  themselves,  their 
poor  horses  were  led  to  the  best  pastures  in  the  neigh 
bourhood,  where  they  were  turned  loose  to  revel  on  the 
fresh  sprouting  grass;  so  that  they  had  better  fare  than 
their  masters. 

Captain  Bonneville  soon  felt  himself  quite  at  home 
among  these  quiet,  inoffensive  people.  His  long  resi 
dence  among  their  cousins,  the  Upper  Nez  Perces,  had 
made  him  conversant  with  their  language,  modes  of 
expression,  and  all  their  habits.  He  soon  found,  too, 
that  he  was  well  known  among  them,  by  report  at  least, 
from  the  constant  interchange  of  visits  and  messages 
between  the  two  branches  of  the  tribe.  They  at  first 
addressed  him  by  his  name,  giving  him  his  title  of  Cap 
tain,  with  a  French  accent;  but  they  soon  gave  him  a 
title  of  their  own,  which,  as  usual  with  Indian  titles, 
had  a  peculiar  signification.  In  the  case  of  the  Captain, 
it  had  somewhat  of  a  whimsical  origin. 

As  he  sat  chatting  and  smoking  in  the  midst  of  them, 
he  would  occasionally  take  off  his  cap.  Whenever  he 
did  so,  there  was  a  sensation  in  the  surrounding  circle. 
The  Indians  would  half  rise  from  their  recumbent 
posture,  and  gaze  upon  his  uncovered  head,  with  their 
usual  exclamation  of  astonishment.  The  worthy  Cap- 


Down  the  Columbia  165 

tain  was  completely  bald;  a  phenomenon  very  surpris 
ing  in  their  eyes.  They  were  at  a  loss  to  know  whether 
he  had  been  scalped  in  battle,  or  enjoyed  a  natural  im 
munity  from  that  belligerent  infliction.  In  a  little 
while,  he  became  known  among  them  by  an  Indian 
name  signifying  "  the  bald  chief," — "  a  soubriquet," 
observes  the  Captain,  "for  which  I  can  find  no  parallel 
in  history  since  the  days  of '  Charles  the  Bald.'  " 

Captain  Bonneville  slept  in  the  lodge  of  the  venerable 
patriarch,  who  had  evidently  conceived  a  most  disinter 
ested  affection  for  him,  as  was  shown  on  the  following 
morning.  The  travellers,  invigorated  by  a  good  supper 
and  "  fresh  from  the  bath  of  repose,"  were  about  to  re 
sume  their  journey,  when  this  affectionate  old  chief  took 
the  Captain  aside,  to  let  him  know  how  much  he  loved 
him.  As  a  proof  of  his  regard,  he  had  determined  to 
give  him  a  fine  horse,  which  would  go  further  than 
words,  and  put  his  good- will  beyond  all  question.  So 
saying,  he  made  a  signal,  and  forthwith  a  beautiful 
young  horse  of  a  brown  colour  was  led,  prancing  and 
snorting,  to  the  place.  Captain  Bonneville  was  suit 
ably  affected  by  this  mark  of  friendship;  but  his  ex 
perience  in  what  is  proverbially  called  "Indian  giving  " 
made  him  aware  that  a  parting  pledge  was  necessary 
on  his  own  part,  to  prove  that  his  friendship  was  re 
ciprocated.  He  accordingly  placed  a  handsome  rifle  in 
the  hands  of  the  venerable  chief,  whose  benevolent 
heart  was  evidently  touched  and  gratified  by  this  out 
ward  and  visible  sign  of  amity. 

Having  now,  as  he  thought,  balanced  this  little  ac 
count  of  friendship,  the  captain  was  about  to  shift  his 
saddle  to  this  noble  gift-horse,  when  the  affectionate 
patriarch  plucked  him  by  the  sleeve  and  introduced 
to  him  a  whimpering,  whining,  leathern-skinned  old 


1 66  The  Fur  Traders 

squaw,  that  might  have  passed  for  an  Egyptian  mummy 
without  drying.  "This,"  said  he,  "is  my  wife:  she 
is  a  good  wife — I  love  her  very  much — she  loves  the 
horse — she  loves  him  a  great  deal — she  will  cry  very 
much  at  losing  him. — I  do  not  know  how  I  shall  com 
fort  her — and  that  makes  my  heart  very  sore." 

What  could  the  worthy  Captain  do,  to  console  the 
tender-hearted  old  squaw,  and,  peradventure,  to  save 
the  venerable  patriarch  from  a  curtain  lecture  ?  He 
bethought  himself  of  a  pair  of  ear-bobs:  it  was  true 
the  patriarch's  better-half  was  of  an  age  and  appearance 
that  seemed  to  put  personal  vanity  out  of  the  question, 
but  when  is  personal  vanity  extinct  ?  The  moment  he 
produced  the  glittering  ear-bobs,  the  whimpering  and 
whining  of  the  sempiternal  beldame  was  at  an  end. 
She  eagerly  placed  the  precious  baubles  in  her  ears, 
and,  though  as  ugly  as  the  Witch  of  Endor,  went  off 
with  a  sidling  gait  and  coquettish  air,  as  though  she 
had  been  a  perfect  Semiramis. 

The  Captain  had  now  saddled  his  newly  acquired 
steed,  and  his  foot  was  in  the  stirrup,  when  the  affec 
tionate  patriarch  again  stepped  forward,  and  presented 
to  him  a  young  Pierced-nose,  who  had  a  peculiarly 
sulky  look.  "  This,"  said  the  venerable  chief,  "  is  my 
son:  he  is  very  good — a  great  horseman — he  always 
took  care  of  this  very  fine  horse — he  brought  him  up 
from  a  colt,  and  made  him  what  he  is. — He  is  very  fond 
of  this  fine  horse — he  loves  him  like  a  brother — his 
heart  will  be  very  heavy  when  this  fine  horse  leaves 
the  camp. ' ' 

What  could  the  Captain  do  to  reward  the  youthful 
hope  of  this  venerable  pair,  and  comfort  him  for  the 
loss  of  his  foster-brother,  the  horse?  He  bethought 
him  of  a  hatchet,  which  might  be  spared  from  his  slen- 


Down  the  Columbia  167 

der  stores.  No  sooner  did  he  place  the  implement  in 
the  hands  of  the  young  hopeful,  than  his  countenance 
brightened  up,  and  he  went  off  rejoicing  in  his  hatchet, 
to  the  full  as  much  as  did  his  respectable  mother  in  her 
ear-bobs. 

The  Captain  was  now  in  the  saddle,  and  about  to 
start,  when  the  affectionate  old  patriarch  stepped  for 
ward,  for  the  third  time,  and,  while  he  laid  one  hand 
gently  on  the  mane  of  the  horse,  held  up  the  rifle  in 
the  other.  "  This  rifle,"  said  he,  "  shall  be  my  great 
medicine.  I  will  hug  it  to  my  heart — I  will  always 
love  it,  for  the  sake  of  my  good  friend,  the  bald-headed 
chief.  But  a  rifle,  by  itself,  is  dumb — I  cannot  make 
it  speak.  If  I  had  a  little  powder  and  ball,  I  would 
take  it  out  with  me,  and  would  now  and  then  shoot  a 
deer;  and  when  I  brought  the  meat  home  to  my  hungry 
family,  I  would  say — This  was  killed  by  the  rifle  of  my 
friend,  the  bald-headed  chief,  to  whom  I  gave  that  very 
fine  horse. ' ' 

There  was  no  resisting  this  appeal :  the  Captain  forth 
with  furnished  the  coveted  supply  of  powder  and  ball; 
but  at  the  same  time  put  spurs  to  his  very  fine  gift- 
horse,  to  get  away  from  all  further  manifestation  of 
friendship  on  the  part  of  the  affectionate  old  patriarch 
and  his  insinuating  family. 

Captain  Bonneville  and  his  companions  had  pursued 
their  journey  a  considerable  distance  down  the  course 
of  Snake  River,  when  an  old  chief  who  acted  as  their 
guide  halted  on  the  bank,  and  recommended  that  they 
should  turn  their  horses  loose  to  graze,  while  he  sum 
moned  a  cousin  of  his  from  a  group  of  lodges  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  stream.  His  summons  was  quickly 
answered.  An  Indian,  of  an  active,  elastic  form,  leaped 
into  a  light  canoe  of  cotton  wood  and  vigorously  ply- 


1 68  The  Fur  Traders 

ing  the  paddle,  soon  shot  across  the  river.  Bounding 
on  shore,  he  advanced  with  a  buoyant  air  and  frank 
demeanour,  and  gave  his  right  hand  to  each  of  the 
party  in  turn.  He  evinced  the  usual  curiosity  to  know 
all  about  the  strangers, — whence  they  came,  whither 
they  were  going,  the  object  of  their  journey,  and  the 
adventures  they  had  experienced.  He  then  desired 
the  party  to  await  his  return,  and,  springing  into  his 
canoe,  darted  across  the  river.  In  a  little  while  he  re 
turned,  bringing  a  most  welcome  supply  of  tobacco,  and 
a  small  stock  of  provisions  for  the  road,  declaring  his 
intention  of  accompanying  the  party. 

That  night  they  put  up  in  the  hut  of  a  Nez  Perce, 
where  they  were  visited  by  several  warriors  from  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  friends  of  the  old  chief  and  his 
cousin,  who  came  to  have  a  talk  and  a  smoke  with  the 
white  men.  The  heart  of  the  good  old  chief  was  over 
flowing  with  good-will  at  thus  being  surrounded  by  his 
new  and  old  friends,  and  he  talked  with  more  spirit  and 
vivacity  than  ever.  The  evening  passed  away  in  per 
fect  harmony  and  good-humour,  and  it  was  not  until  a 
late  hour  that  the  visitors  took  their  leave  and  recrossed 
the  river. 

In  the  course  of  the  social  and  harmonious  evening 
just  mentioned,  one  of  the  Captain's  men  produced  a 
small  skin,  a  great  rarity  in  the  eyes  of  men  conversant 
in  peltries.  It  attracted  much  attention  among  the 
visitors  from  beyond  the  river,  who  passed  it  from  one 
to  the  other,  examined  it  with  looks  of  lively  admira 
tion,  and  pronounced  it  a  great  "medicine." 

In  the  morning,  when  the  Captain  and  his  party  were 
about  to  set  off,  the  precious  skin  was  missing.  Search 
was  made  for  it  in  the  hut,  but  it  was  nowhere  to  be 
found;  and  it  was  strongly  suspected  that  it  had  been 


Down  the  Columbia  169 

purloined  by  some  of  the  connoisseurs  from  the  other 
side  of  the  river. 

The  old  chief  and  his  cousin  were  indignant  at  their 
friends  across  the  water,  and  called  out  for  them  to 
come  over  and  answer  for  their  shameful  conduct.  The 
others  answered  to  the  call  with  all  the  promptitude  of 
perfect  innocence,  and  spurned  the  idea  of  their  being 
capable  of  such  outrage  upon  any  of  the  Big-hearted 
nation.  All  were  at  a  loss  on  whom  to  fix  the  crime 
of  abstracting  the  invaluable  skin,  when  by  chance  the 
eyes  of  the  worthies  from  beyond  the  water  fell  upon 
an  unhappy  cur,  belonging  to  the  owner  of  the  hut. 
He  was  a  gallows-looking  dog,  but  not  more  so  than 
most  Indian  dogs,  who,  take  them  in  the  mass,  are 
little  better  than  a  generation  of  vipers.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  he  was  instantly  accused  of  having  devoured  the 
skin  in  question.  The  unfortunate  cur  was  arraigned ; 
his  thievish  looks  substantiated  his  guilt,  and  he  was 
condemned  by  his  judges  from  across  the  river  to  be 
hanged.  He  was  doubly  guilty :  first,  in  having  robbed 
their  good  friends,  the  Big  Hearts  of  the  East ;  secondly, 
in  having  brought  a  doubt  on  the  honour  of  the  Nez 
Perce  tribe.  He  was,  accordingly,  swung  aloft,  and 
pelted  with  stones  to  make  his  death  more  certain. 
The  sentence  of  the  judges  being  thoroughly  executed, 
the  body  of  the  dog  was  opened,  and  the  intestines 
rigorously  scrutinised,  but,  to  the  horror  of  all  con 
cerned,  not  a  particle  of  the  skin  was  to  be  found — the 
dog  had  been  unjustly  executed! 

It  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  the  Captain 
and  his  comrades  could  calm  the  party  from  across  the 
river,  whose  jealousy  of  their  good  name  now  prompted 
them  to  the  most  vociferous  vindications  of  their  inno 
cence.  The  warriors  now  returned  across  the  river, 


170  The  Fur  Traders 

the  Captain  and  his  comrades  proceeded  on  their  jour 
ney;  but  the  spirits  of  the  communicative  old  chief 
were  for  a  time  completely  dampened.  He  rode  in 
silence,  except  that  now  and  then  he  would  give  way 
to  a  burst  of  indignation,  and  exclaim,  with  a  shake  of 
the  head  and  a  toss  of  the  hand  toward  the  opposite 
shore — "  Bad  men,  very  bad  men  across  the  river." 

After  some  time,  the  countenance  of  the  old  chief 
again  cleared  up,  and  he  fell  into  repeated  conferences, 
in  an  undertone,  with  his  cousin,  which  ended  in  the 
departure  of  the  latter,  who,  applying  the  lash  to  his 
horse,  dashed  forward  and  was  soon  out  of  sight.  In 
fact,  they  were  drawing  near  to  the  village  of  another 
chief,  commonly  known  as  the  great  chief.  The  cousin 
had  been  sent  ahead  to  give  notice  of  their  approach ; 
a  herald  appeared  as  before,  bearing  a  powder-horn,  to 
enable  them  to  respond  to  the  intended  salute.  A 
scene  ensued,  on  their  approach  to  the  village,  similar 
to  that  at  several  other  villages.  Then  came  on  the 
firing  of  salutes,  and  the  shaking  of  hands;  for  the 
Indians  have  an  idea  that  it  is  as  indispensable  an 
overture  of  friendship  among  the  whites  as  smoking 
of  the  pipe  is  among  the  red  men.  The  travellers  were 
next  ushered  to  the  banquet,  where  all  the  choicest 
viands  that  the  village  could  furnish  were  served  up 
in  rich  profusion.  They  were  afterwards  entertained 
by  games  and  horse-races;  indeed,  their  visit  to  the 
village  seemed  the  signal  for  complete  festivity.  In 
the  meantime,  a  skin  lodge  had  been  spread  for  their 
accommodation,  their  horses  and  baggage  were  taken 
care  of,  and  wood  and  water  supplied  in  abundance. 

At  night  a  crowd  of  visitors  awaited  their  appearance, 
all  eager  for  a  smoke  and  a  talk.  The  pipe  was  immed 
iately  lighted,  and  the  utmost  eagerness  was  evinced 


Down  the  Columbia  171 

to  learn  everything  respecting  the  Americans,  for  whom 
they  professed  the  most  fraternal  regard.  To  their  in 
quiries  as  to  the  numbers  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  the  Captain  assured  them  that  they  were  as 
countless  as  the  blades  of  grass  in  the  prairies,  and 
that,  great  as  Snake  River  was,  if  they  were  all  en 
camped  upon  its  banks,  they  would  drink  it  dry  in  a 
single  day.  To  these  and  similar  statistics,  they  listened 
with  profound  attention,  and  apparently  implicit  belief. 

The  fame  of  the  Captain  as  a  healer  of  diseases  had 
accompanied  him  to  this  village,  and  the  great  chief 
now  entreated  him  to  exert  his  skill  on  his  daughter, 
who  had  been  for  three  days  racked  with  pains,  which 
the  Pierced- nose  doctors  could  not  relieve.  The  Cap 
tain  was  touched  by  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  girl,  for 
she  was  but  about  sixteen  j^ears  of  age,  and  uncom 
monly  beautiful  in  form  and  feature.  The  only  diffi 
culty  with  the  Captain  was,  that  he  knew  nothing  of 
her  malady.  So,  after  considering  and  cogitating  for 
some  time,  he  made  a  desperate  dash  at  a  remedy.  By 
his  directions,  the  girl  was  placed  in  a  sort  of  rude 
vapour-bath,  where  she  was  kept  until  near  fainting. 
He  then  gave  her  a  dose  of  gunpowder  dissolved  in 
water,  and  ordered  her  to  be  wrapped  in  buffalo  robes 
and  put  to  sleep  under  a  load  of  furs  and  blankets. 
The  remedy  succeeded :  the  next  morning  she  was  free 
from  pain,  though  extremely  languid;  whereupon,  the 
Captain  prescribed  for  her  a  bowl  of  colt's  head  broth, 
and  that  she  should  be  kept  for  a  time  on  simple  diet. 

The  great  chief  was  unbounded  in  his  expressions  of 
gratitude  for  the  recovery  of  his  daughter.  He  would 
fain  have  detained  the  Captain  a  long  time  as  his  guest, 
but  the  time  for  departure  had  arrived.  When  the 
Captain's  horse  was  brought  for  him  to  mount,  the  chief 


172  The  Fur  Traders 

declared  that  the  steed  was  not  worthy  of  him,  and 
sent  for  one  of  his  best  horses,  which  he  presented  in 
its  stead;  declaring  that  it  made  his  heart  glad  to 
see  his  friend  so  well  mounted.  He  then  appointed  a 
young  Nez  Perce  to  accompany  his  guests  to  the  next 
village,  and  "  to  carry  his  talk  "  concerning  them;  and 
the  two  parties  separated  with  mutual  expressions  of 
kindness  and  feelings  of  good-will. 

The  travellers  now  traversed  a  gently  undulating 
country,  of  such  fertility  that  it  excited  the  rapturous  ad 
miration  of  two  of  the  Captain's  followers,  a  Kentuckian 
and  a  native  of  Ohio.  They  declared  that  it  surpassed 
any  land  that  they  had  ever  seen,  and  often  exclaimed, 
what  a  delight  it  would  be  just  to  run  a  plough  through 
such  a  rich  and  teeming  soil,  and  see  it  open  its  boun 
tiful  promise  before  the  share.  In  their  progress, 
they  met  with  several  bands  of  Nez  Percys,  by  whom 
they  were  invariably  treated  with  the  utmost  kindness. 
Within  seven  days  they  struck  the  Columbia  River  at 
Fort  Walla- Walla,  where  they  arrived  on  the  4th  of 
March,  1834. 

Fort  Walla- Walla  was  a  trading  post  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company,  situated  just  above  the  mouth  of  the 
river  of  the  same  name,  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Columbia.  It  was  built  of  driftwood,  and  calculated 
merely  for  defence  against  any  attack  of  the  natives. 

The  great  post  and  fort  of  the  company  was  Fort  Van 
couver,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Columbia,  just  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Willamette,  whither  the  company 
removed  its  establishment  from  Astoria,  in  1821,  after 
its  coalition  with  the  Northwest  Company. 

Captain  Bonneville  and  his  comrades  experienced  a 
polite  reception  from  the  superintendent,  for,  however 
hostile  the  members  of  the  British  company  may  have 


Down  the  Columbia  173 

been  to  the  enterprises  of  American  traders,  they  al 
ways  manifested  great  courtesy  and  hospitality  to  the 
traders  themselves. 

Captain  Bonneville  had  intended  to  remain  some 
time  in  this  neighbourhood,  to  form  an  acquaintance 
with  the  natives  and  to  collect  information,  and  establish 
connections  that  might  be  advantageous  in  the  way  of 
trade.  The  delays,  however,  which  he  had  experienced 
on  his  journey  obliged  him  to  shorten  his  sojourn,  and 
to  set  off  as  soon  as  possible,  so  as  to  reach  the  rendez 
vous  at  the  Portneuf  at  the  appointed  time.  He  had 
seen  enough  to  convince  him  that  an  American  trade 
might  be  carried  on  with  advantage  in  this  quarter; 
and  he  determined  soon  to  return  with  a  stronger 
party,  more  completely  fitted  for  the  purpose. 

Accordingly,  on  the  6th  of  March,  he  and  his  three 
companions,  accompanied  by  their  Nez  Perce  guides, 
set  out  on  their  return.  They  touched  again  at  several 
of  the  Nez  Perce  villages,  where  they  had  experienced 
such  kind  treatment  on  their  way  down.  They  were 
always  welcomed  with  cordiality ;  and  everything  was 
done  to  cheer  them  on  their  journey. 

On  leaving  one  of  the  villages,  they  were  joined  by 
a  Nez  Perce,  whose  society  was  welcomed  on  account 
of  the  general  gratitude  and  good- will  they  felt  for  his 
tribe.  He  soon  proved  a  heavy  clog  upon  the  little 
party,  being  doltish  and  taciturn,  lazy  in  the  extreme, 
and  a  huge  feeder.  His  only  proof  of  intellect  was  in 
shrewdly  avoiding  all  labour,  and  availing  himself  of 
the  toil  of  others. 

When  meal-time  arrived,  however,  then  came  his 
season  of  activity.  He  no  longer  hung  back  and 
waited  for  others  to  take  the  lead,  but  distinguished 
himself  by  a  brilliancy  of  onset,  and  a  sustained  vigour 


174  The  Fur  Traders 

and  duration  of  attack,  that  completely  shamed  the 
efforts  of  his  competitors — albeit  experienced  trencher 
men  of  no  mean  prowess.  Having,  by  repeated  and 
prolonged  assaults,  at  length  completely  gorged  him 
self,  he  would  wrap  himself  up,  and  lie  with  the  torpor 
of  an  anaconda,  slowly  digesting  his  way  to  the  next 
repast.  He  was  regarded  askance,  at  his  meals,  as  a 
regular  kill-crop,  destined  to  waste  the  substance  of  the 
party.  In  fact,  nothing  but  a  sense  of  the  obligations 
they  were  under  to  his  nation  induced  them  to  bear 
with  such  a  guest. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

SHE-WEE-SHE 

AS  Captain  Bonneville  and  his  men  were  encamped 
one  evening  among  the  hills  near  Snake  River, 
seated  before  their  fire,  enjoying  a  hearty  supper,  they 
were  suddenly  surprised  by  the  visit  of  an  uninvited 
guest.  He  was  a  ragged,  half-naked  Indian  hunter, 
armed  with  bow  and  arrows,  and  had  the  carcass  of  a 
fine  buck  thrown  across  his  shoulder.  Advancing  with 
an  alert  step,  and  free  and  easy  air,  he  threw  the  buck 
on  the  ground,  and,  without  waiting  for  an  invitation, 
seated  himself  at  their  mess,  helped  himself  without 
ceremony,  and  chatted  to  the  right  and  left  in  the  live 
liest  and  most  unembarrassed  manner.  The  travellers 
were  at  first  completely  taken  by  surprise,  and  could  not 
but  admire  the  facility  with  which  this  ragged  cosmo 
polite  made  himself  at  home  among  them.  While  they 
stared  he  went  on,  making  the  most  of  the  good  cheer 
upon  which  he  had  so  fortunately  alighted ;  and  was  soon 
elbow  deep  in  "  pot  luck,"  and  greased  from  the  tip  of 
his  nose  to  the  back  of  his  ears. 

In  the  course  of  his  repast,  his  attention  was  caught 
by  the  figure  of  the  gastronome,  who,  as  usual,  was 
gorging  himself  in  dogged  silence.  A  droll  cut  of  the 
eye  showed  either  that  he  knew  him  of  old,  or  perceived 
at  once  his  characteristics.  He  immediately  made  him 
the  butt  of  his  pleasantries;  and  cracked  off  two  or 

i75 


176  The  Fur  Traders 

three  good  hits,  that  caused  the  sluggish  dolt  to  prick 
up  his  ears,  and  delighted  all  the  company.  From  this 
time  the  uninvited  guest  was  taken  into  favour;  his 
jokes  began  to  be  relished;  his  careless,  free,  and  easy 
air  to  be  considered  singularly  amusing;  and  in  the 
end,  he  was  pronounced  by  the  travellers  one  of  the 
merriest  companions  and  most  entertaining  vagabonds 
they  had  met  with  in  the  wilderness. 

Supper  being  over,  the  redoubtable  She-wee-she,  for 
such  was  his  name,  declared  his  intention  of  keeping 
company  with  the  party  for  a  day  or  two,  if  they  had 
no  objection ;  and  by  way  of  backing  his  self-invitation, 
presented  the  carcass  of  the  buck  as  an  earnest  of  his 
hunting  abilities.  By  this  time,  he  had  so  completely 
effaced  the  unfavourable  impression  made  by  his  first 
appearance,  that  he  was  made  welcome  to  the  camp, 
and  the  Nez  Perc6  guide  undertook  to  give  him  lodg 
ing  for  the  night.  The  next  morning,  at  break  of  day, 
he  borrowed  a  gun,  and  was  off  among  the  hills,  nor 
was  anything  more  seen  of  him  until  a  few  minutes 
after  the  party  had  encamped  for  the  evening,  when  he 
again  made  his  appearance,  in  his  usual  frank,  careless 
manner,  and  threw  down  the  carcass  of  another  noble 
deer,  which  he  had  borne  on  his  back  for  a  considerable 
distance. 

This  evening  he  was  the  life  of  the  party,  and  his 
open,  communicative  disposition,  free  from  all  disguise, 
soon  put  them  in  possession  of  his  history.  He  had 
been  a  kind  of  prodigal  son  in  his  native  village ;  living 
a  loose,  heedless  life,  and  disregarding  the  precepts  and 
imperative  commands  of  the  chiefs.  He  had,  in  conse 
quence,  been  expelled  from  the  village,  but,  in  nowise 
disheartened  at  this  banishment,  had  betaken  himself 
to  the  society  of  the  border  Indians,  and  had  led  a 


She-wee-she  177 

careless,  haphazard,  vagabond  life,  perfectly  consonant 
to  his  humours;  heedless  of  the  future,  so  long  as  he 
had  wherewithal  for  the  present:  and  fearing  no  lack 
of  food,  so  long  as  he  had  the  implements  of  the  chase, 
and  a  fair  hunting  ground. 

Finding  him  very  expert  as  a  hunter,  and  being 
pleased  with  his  eccentricities,  and  his  strange  and 
merry  humour,  Captain  Bonneville  fitted  him  out  hand 
somely  as  the  Nimrod  of  the  party.  Meantime  the  dolt 
ish  Nez  Perce,  whom  the  travellers  had  endeavoured  to 
elbow  out  of  their  society,  could  not  withstand  the  ban 
tering  and  sharp  wit  of  She-wee-she,  for  he  sat  blinking 
like  an  owl  in  daylight,  when  pestered  by  the  flouts  and 
peckings  of  mischievous  birds.  At  length  his  place  was 
found  vacant  at  meal-time;  he  was  seen  no  more;  and 
the  vast  surplus  that  remained  when  the  repast  was 
over,  showed  what  a  mighty  gormandiser  had  departed. 

Relieved  from  this  incubus,  the  little  party  now  went 
on  cheerily.  She- wee-she  kept  them  in  fun  as  well  as 
food.  His  hunting  was  always  successful;  he  was  ever 
ready  to  render  any  assistance  in  the  camp  or  on  the 
march;  while  his  jokes,  his  antics,  and  the  very  cut  of 
his  countenance,  so  full  of  whim  and  comicality,  kept 
every  one  in  good-humour. 

Near  some  Nez  Perce  lodges  one  day,  She-wee-she 
took  a  sudden  notion  to  visit  his  people,  and  show  off 
the  state  of  worldly  prosperity  to  which  he  had  attained. 
Accordingly,  arrayed  in  hunter's  style,  and  well  ap 
pointed  with  everything  befitting  his  vocation,  he  an 
ticipated,  with  chuckling  satisfaction,  the  surprise  he 
was  about  to  give  those  who  had  ejected  him  from  their 
society  in  rags.  But  when  he  rejoined  the  party  in 
the  evening,  he  came  skulking  into  camp  like  a  beaten 
cur  with  his  tail  between  his  legs.  All  his  finery  was 


178  The  Fur  Traders 

gone;  he  was  naked  as  when  he  was  born,  with  the 
exception  of  a  scanty  flap  that  answered  the  purpose  of 
a  fig-leaf.  His  fellow-travellers  at  first  did  not  know 
him;  but  when  they  recognised  in  this  forlorn  object 
their  prime  wag,  She-wee-she,  they  could  not  contain 
their  merriment,  but  hailed  him  with  loud  and  repeated 
peals  of  laughter. 

She-wee-she  was  not  of  a  spirit  to  be  easily  cast 
down;  he  soon  joined  in  the  merriment  as  heartily  as 
any  one,  and  seemed  to  consider  his  reverse  of  fortune 
an  excellent  joke.  Captain  Bonneville,  however, 
thought  proper  to  check  his  good-humour,  and  de 
manded,  with  some  degree  of  sternness,  the  cause  of 
his  altered  condition.  He  replied  in  the  most  natural 
and  self-complacent  style  imaginable,  "that  he  had 
been  among  his  cousins,  who  were  very  poor ;  they  had 
been  delighted  to  see  him;  still  more  delighted  with 
his  good  fortune;  they  had  taken  him  to  their  arms; 
admired  his  equipments;  one  had  begged  for  this;  an 
other  for  that " — in  fine,  what  with  the  poor  devil's  in 
herent  heedlessness,  and  the  real  generosity  of  his 
disposition,  his  needy  cousins  had  succeeded  in  strip 
ping  him  of  all  his  clothes  and  accoutrements. 

He  was  accordingly  left  to  shift  for  himself  in  his 
naked  condition ;  which,  however,  did  not  seem  to  give 
him  any  concern,  or  to  abate  one  jot  of  his  good-humour. 
In  the  course  of  his  lounging  about  the  camp,  however, 
he  got  possession  of  a  deer-skin;  whereupon,  cutting  a 
slit  in  the  middle,  he  thrust  his  head  through  it,  so  that 
the  two  ends  hung  down  before  and  behind.  These  ends 
he  tied  together,  under  the  armpits ;  and  thus  arrayed, 
presented  himself  once  more  before  the  Captain,  with 
an  air  of  perfect  self-satisfaction,  as  though  he  thought 
it  impossible  for  any  fault  to  be  found  with  his  toilet. 


She-wee-she  1 79 

A  little  further  journeying  brought  the  travellers  to 
the  petty  village  of  Nez  Perces,  governed  by  the  worthy 
and  affectionate  old  patriarch  who  had  made  Captain 
Bonneville  the  costly  present  of  the  very  fine  horse. 
The  old  man  welcomed  them  once  more  to  his  village 
with  his  usual  cordiality,  and  his  respectable  squaw 
and  hopeful  son,  cherishing  grateful  recollections  of 
the  hatchet  and  ear-bobs,  joined  in  a  chorus  of  friendly 
congratulation. 

As  the  much- vaunted  steed,  once  the  joy  and  pride 
of  this  interesting  family,  was  now  nearly  knocked  out 
by  travelling,  and  totally  inadequate  to  the  mountain 
scramble  that  lay  ahead,  Captain  Bonneville  restored 
him  to  the  venerable  patriarch,  with  renewed  acknow 
ledgments  for  the  invaluable  gift.  Somewhat  to  his 
surprise,  he  was  immediately  supplied  with  a  fine  two- 
year-old  colt  in  his  stead,  a  substitution  which,  he 
afterwards  learnt,  according  to  Indian  custom  in  such 
cases,  he  might  have  claimed  as  a  matter  of  right. 

On  the  second  day  after  leaving  the  patriarch's,  the 
party  moved  along  slowly.  She- wee-she,  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  time,  trudged  on  foot  over  the  snow,  keep 
ing  himself  warm  by  hard  exercise  and  all  kinds  of 
crazy  capers.  In  the  height  of  his  foolery,  the  patri 
archal  colt,  which,  unbroken  to  the  saddle,  was  suf 
fered  to  follow  on  at  large,  happened  to  come  within 
his  reach.  In  a  moment  he  was  on  its  back,  snapping 
his  fingers,  and  yelping  with  delight.  The  colt,  un 
used  to  such  a  burden,  and  half-wild  by  nature,  fell 
to  prancing  and  rearing,  and  at  length  set  off  at  full 
speed  over  the  most  dangerous  ground. 

As  the  route  led  generally  along  the  steep  and 
craggy  sides  of  the  hills,  both  horse  and  horseman 
were  constantly  in  danger.  Nothing,  however,  could 


180  The  Fur  Traders 

daunt  this  madcap  savage.  He  stuck  to  the  colt  like 
a  plaster,  up  ridges,  down  gullies,  whooping  and  yell 
ing  with  the  wildest  glee.  His  companions  followed 
him  with  their  eyes,  sometimes  laughing,  sometimes 
holding  their  breath  at  his  vagaries,  until  they  saw 
the  colt  make  a  sudden  plunge  and  pitch  his  rider 
headlong  over  a  precipice.  There  was  a  general  cry 
of  horror,  and  all  hastened  to  the  spot.  They  found 
the  poor  fellow  lying  among  the  rocks  below,  sadly 
bruised  and  mangled.  Even  in  this  condition,  his 
merry  spirit  was  not  entirely  quelled,  and  he  sum 
moned  up  a  feeble  laugh  at  the  alarm  and  anxiety  of 
those  who  came  to  his  relief.  He  was  extricated  from 
his  rocky  bed,  and  stretched  upon  buffalo  skins,  the 
Captain  proceeding  to  examine  his  wounds.  The 
principal  one  was  a  long  and  deep  gash  in  the  thigh, 
which  reached  to  the  bone.  Calling  for  a  needle  and 
thread,  the  Captain  now  prepared  to  sew  up  the  wound, 
warning  the  patient  to  submit  to  the  operation  with 
becoming  fortitude.  His  gaiety  was  at  an  end;  he 
could  no  longer  summon  up  even  a  forced  smile;  and, 
at  the  first  puncture  of  the  needle,  flinched  so  pite- 
ously  that  the  Captain  was  obliged  to  pause,  and  to 
order  him  a  powerful  dose  of  alcohol. 

When  the  wound  was  fairly  closed,  the  Captain 
washed  it  with  rum,  and  administered  a  second  dose 
of  the  same  to  the  patient,  who  was  tucked  in  for  the 
night,  and  advised  to  compose  himself  to  sleep.  He 
was  restless  and  uneasy,  however;  repeatedly  express 
ing  his  fears  that  his  leg  would  be  so  much  swollen 
the  next  day  as  to  prevent  his  proceeding  with  the 
party ;  nor  could  he  be  quieted  until  the  Captain  gave 
a  decided  opinion  favourable  to  his  wishes. 

Early   the   next  morning,   a  gleam  of  his  merry 


She-wee-she  181 

humour  returned  when  he  found  that  his  wounded 
limb  retained  its  natural  proportions.  On  attempting 
to  use  it,  however,  he  found  himself  unable  to  stand. 
He  made  several  efforts  to  coax  himself  into  a  belief 
that  he  might  still  continue  forward;  but  at  length 
shook  his  head  despondingly,  and  said  that  "as  he 
had  but  one  leg,"  it  was  all  in  vain  to  attempt  a  pass 
age  of  the  mountain. 

Every  one  grieved  to  part  with  so  boon  a  com 
panion,  and  under  such  disastrous  circumstances.  He 
was  once  more  clothed  and  equipped,  each  one  making 
him  some  parting  present.  He  was  then  helped  on  a 
horse,  which  Captain  Bonneville  presented  to  him; 
and  after  many  parting  expressions  of  good-will  on 
both  sides,  set  off  on  his  return  to  his  old  haunts; 
doubtless  to  be  plucked  once  more  by  his  affectionate 
but  needy  cousins. 

Nothing  particularly  worthy  of  note  occurred  during 
several  days  as  the  party  proceeded  up  along  Snake 
River  and  across  its  tributary  streams. 

On  the  1 2th  of  May  Captain  Bonneville  reached  the 
Portneuf  River,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  he  had  left 
the  winter  encampment  of  his  company  on  the  preced 
ing  Christmas  day.  He  had  then  expected  to  be  back 
by  the  beginning  of  March,  but  circumstances  had  de 
tained  him  upwards  of  two  months  beyond  the  time, 
and  the  winter  encampment  must  long  ere  this  have 
been  broken  up.  It  was  not  until  the  ist  of  June  that 
he  found  some  of  his  men,  and  learnt  that  the  whole 
party  which  he  had  left  in  the  preceding  month  of 
December  were  encamped  on  Blackfoot  River,  a  tribu 
tary  of  Snake  River,  not  very  far  above  the  Portneuf. 
Thither  he  proceeded  with  all  possible  despatch,  and 
in  a  little  while  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  himself 


1 82  The  Fur  Traders 

once  more  surrounded  by  his  people,  who  greeted  his 
return  among  them  in  the  heartiest  manner;  for  his 
long- protracted  absence  had  convinced  them  that  he 
and  his  three  companions  had  been  cut  off  by  some 
hostile  tribe. 

After  two  days  of  festive  indulgence,  Captain  Bonne- 
ville  broke  up  the  encampment,  and  set  out  with  his 
motley  crew  of  hired  and  free  trappers,  half-breeds, 
Indians,  and  squaws,  for  the  main  rendezvous  in  Bear 
River  Valley.  There  he  found  his  exploring  party, 
sent  out  the  year  before  under  Mr.  Walker,  already 
encamped  and  awaiting  him,  and  with  a  thrilling  tale 
of  adventure  to  relate. 

It  had  been  on  the  24th  of  July  in  the  preceding  year 
(1833)  that  the  brigade  of  forty  men  set  out  from  the 
Green  River  Valley,  ostensibly  to  explore  the  Great 
Salt  Lake,  and  the  resources  of  Captain  Bonneville  had 
been  tasked  to  the  utmost  to  furnish  it  a  complete 
equipment.  Near  the  northern  end  of  the  lake  they 
stopped  until  they  had  laid  in  a  supply  of  dried  buffalo 
meat  and  venison,  and  then  they  took  a  westerly  course 
through  the  desert  region  to  the  sinks  of  the  Humboldt 
River.  There,  being  much  annoyed  by  the  thefts  of  the 
Digger  Indians, — otherwise  a  harmless  and  friendly 
race, — the  trappers  wantonly  killed  several  and  then 
fired  upon  a  crowd,  leaving  about  forty  dead  on  the  field. 

With  great  suffering  and  with  many  difficulties  they 
crossed  the  Sierras,  and,  from  their  descriptions,  they 
may  have  been  the  first  to  descend  the  Yosemite  Valley. 
Soon  after  this  they  reached  San  Francisco  Bay,  and 
on  the  2oth  of  November,  they  caught  sight  of  the 
Pacific.  There,  too,  they  met  the  Boston  ship  Ladoga, 
purchasing  from  its  captain  with  their  furs  a  stock  of 
provisions,  of  which  they  stood  in  great  need. 


She- wee-she  183 

The  wandering  band  of  trappers  were  well  received 
at  Monterey ;  the  inhabitants  were  desirous  of  retain 
ing  them  among  them,  and  offered  extravagant  wages 
to  such  as  were  acquainted  with  any  mechanic  art. 
When  they  went  into  the  country,  too,  they  were 
kindly  treated  by  the  priests  at  the  mission.  They 
had  no  lack  of  provisions;  being  permitted  to  kill  as 
many  as  they  pleased  of  the  vast  herds  of  cattle  that 
grazed  the  country,  on  condition,  merely,  of  rendering 
the  hides  to  the  owners.  They  attended  bull-fights 
and  horse-races;  forgot  all  the  purposes  of  their  ex 
pedition;  squandered  away,  freely,  the  property  that 
did  not  belong  to  them;  and,  in  a  word,  revelled  in  a 
perfect  fool's  paradise. 

The  winter  slipped  quickly  away  in  a  round  of  bull 
fights,  horse-races,  and  hunts — a  paradise  compared 
with  trapping  amongst  the  mountains.  At  length, 
lazily,  and  with  the  loss  of  six  men, — all  mechanics, — 
they  took  their  departure  from  the  sunny  scenes  of 
California,  and  slowly  began  their  return  trip.  To 
avoid  the  difficulties  encountered  in  crossing  the  Sierras 
on  their  outward  way,  they  encircled  them  around  the 
southern  end,  and  then,  through  the  foot-hills  on  the 
eastern  side,  they  journeyed  northward  until  they 
struck  their  old  trail,  along  which,  in  great  part,  they 
returned  to  the  appointed  rendezvous  on  the  Bear 
River,  arriving  there  on  June  ist,  some  twenty  days 
ahead  of  Captain  Bonneville  and  his  party.  When  the 
Californians  repassed  the  "  Battle  "  lakes,  they  encoun 
tered  the  same  band  of  Indians  as  before,  only  with 
numbers  doubled,  and,  partly  through  fear,  and  partly 
from  savagery,  they  repeated  the  butchery  of  their 
outward  trip. 

The  horror  and  indignation  felt  by  Captain  Bonne- 


1 84  The  Fur  Traders 

ville  at  the  excesses  of  the  Californian  adventurers  were 
not  participated  in  by  his  men;  on  the  contrary,  the 
events  of  that  expedition  were  favourite  themes  in  the 
camp.  The  heroes  of  Monterey  bore  the  palm  in  all 
the  gossipings  among  the  hunters.  Their  glowing  de- 
criptions  of  Spanish  bear-baits  and  bull- fights  especially, 
were  listened  to  with  intense  delight;  and  had  another 
expedition  to  California  been  proposed,  the  difficulty 
would  have  been  to  restrain  a  general  eagerness  to 
volunteer. 

The  various  bands  of  Captain  Bonneville's  company 
had  now  been  assembled  for  some  time  at  the  rendez 
vous.  Their  horses,  as  well  as  themselves,  had  re 
covered  from  past  famine  and  fatigue,  and  were  again 
fit  for  active  service;  and  an  impatience  began  to  mani 
fest  itself  among  the  men  once  more  to  take  the  field, 
and  set  off  on  some  wandering  expedition.  At  this 
juncture  Mr.  Cerre"  arrived  at  the  rendezvous  at  the 
head  of  a  supply  party,  bringing  goods  and  equipments 
from  the  States.  This  active  leader,  it  will  be  recol 
lected,  had  embarked  the  year  previously  in  skin-boats 
on  the  Big  Horn,  freighted  with  the  year's  collection 
of  peltries. 

The  Captain  now  made  his  arrangements  for  the 
current  year.  Cerre"  and  Walker,  with  a  number  of 
men  who  had  been  to  California,  were  to  proceed  to 
St.  Louis  with  the  packages  of  furs  collected  during 
the  past  year.  Another  party,  headed  by  a  leader 
named  Montero,  was  to  proceed  to  the  Crow  country, 
trap  upon  its  various  streams,  and  among  the  Black 
Hills,  and  thence  to  proceed  to  Arkansas,  where  he 
was  to  go  into  winter  quarters. 

The  Captain  marked  out  for  himself  a  widely  differ 
ent  course.  He  intended  to  make  another  expedition, 


She-wee-she  185 

with  twenty-three  men,  to  the  lower  part  of  the  Co 
lumbia  River,  and  to  proceed  to  the  valley  of  the  Wil 
lamette  ;  after  wintering  in  those  parts,  and  establishing 
a  trade  with  those  tribes,  among  whom  he  had  sojourned 
on  his  first  visit,  he  would  return  in  the  spring,  cross 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  join  Montero  and  his  party 
in  the  month  of  July,  at  the  rendezvous  of  the  Arkan 
sas;  where  he  expected  to  receive  his  annual  supplies 
from  the  States. 

Just  as  the  different  parties  were  about  to  set  out  on 
the  3d  of  July,  on  their  opposite  routes,  Captain 
Bonneville  received  intelligence  that  Wyeth,1  the  in- 

1  Nathaniel  Jarvis  Wyeth  was  a  successful  business  man  in 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  when  his  attention  was  called  to 
the  Oregon  Question,  and  his  interest  deeply  roused  in  the 
Oregon  region  by  the  visionary  enthusiast,  Hugh  J.  Kelly,  a 
Boston  schoolmaster. 

Wyeth  at  first  thought  to  join  fortunes  with  Kelly,  who  was 
then  forming  nis  Oregon  Organisation  Society  ;  but  he  quickly 
found  that  Kelly's  eloquence  never  reached  the  sticking-point, 
and  that,  if  he  were  to  accomplish  anything,  he  must  act  by 
himself.  Accordingly,  having  gathered  some  twenty  recruits 
and  bound  them  together  by  a  strong  compact,  he  left  Boston 
during  March,  1832,  and,  with  some  gains  and  losses  among 
his  followers,  he  reached  the  frontier  town  of  Independence. 

The  confidence  and  courage  of  Wyeth's  men  had  already 
been  badly  shaken  by  contact  with  M'Kenzie,  who  was  down 
from  Fort  Union,  and  by  contrast  with  Sublette's  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  mountain  business.  In  fact,  the  enterprise 
would  have  been  abandoned  at  Independence  had  not  W.  I/. 
Sublette  taken  them  in  charge,  readily  seeing  that  he  had 
nothing  to  fear  from  such  an  inexperienced  band,  and  that  in 
time  he  should  most  likely  absorb  both  men  and  outfit  into  his 
own  company. 

They  reached  the  rendezvous  at  Pierre's  Hole,  July  8th, 
without  accident,  where  seven  of  Wyeth's  men  refused  to  go 
farther,  and  returned  with  W.  L.  Sublette's  returning  party; 


1 86  The  Fur  Traders 

defatigable  leader  of  the  salmon-fishing  enterprise, 
who  had  parted  with  him  about  a  year  previously  on 
the  banks  of  the  Big  Horn,  to  descend  that  wild  river 
in  a  bull-boat,  was  near  at  hand,  with  a  new-levied 
band  of  hunters  and  trappers,  and  was  on  his  way  once 
more  to  the  banks  of  the  Columbia. 

As  we  take  much  interest  in  the  enterprise  of  this 
"  Eastern  man,"  and  are  pleased  with  his  persevering 
spirit,  and  as  his  movements  are  characteristic  of  life 
in  the  wilderness,  we  will,  with  the  reader' s  permis 
sion,  while  Captain  Bonneville  is  breaking  up  his  camp 
and  saddling  his  horses,  step  back  a  year  in  time,  and 
a  few  hundred  miles  in  distance,  to  the  bank  of  the 

Wyeth  and  the  remaining  fourteen  went  on  with  Milton  G. 
Sublette,  who  was  proceeding  westward  for  the  purpose  of 
trapping  and  hunting.  They  witnessed  the  battle  of  Pierre's 
Hole  and  then  went  on,  parting  company  with  Sublette  August 
2gth,  on  the  Snake  River.  Wyeth  and  his  men  reached  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company's  post  at  Walla  Walla  October  I4th,  and 
there,  a  month  later,  he  disbanded  them,  having  learned  during 
a  visit  to  Fort  Vancouver  that  his  ship  had  been  wrecked  at  the 
Society  Islands,  and  he  realised  that  the  last  hope  for  his  plans 
had  gone  down  with  her.  "  I  am  now  afloat  on  the  great  sea 
of  life  without  stay  or  support." 

Wyeth  spent  the  winter  at  Fort  Vancouver,  being  well  treated 
by  the  agent  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  and  in  February  he 
set  out  for  the  East  with  a  trading  party  bound  from  the  post 
to  the  Flathead  Indians.  From  their  country  he  made  his 
way,  with  one  man  from  his  original  party,  to  a  point  near  the 
Henry  River,  where  he  met  Captain  Bonneville  and  proposed  a 
hunt  as  far  as  the  Spanish  settlements  in  California.  This  was 
agreed  to,  but  for  some  unknown  reason  Walker  lead  that  ex 
pedition  instead  of  Wyeth,  and  Wyeth  went  directly  home, 
joining  the  east-bound  parties  from  the  Green  River  rendez 
vous,  and  returning  through  South  Pass  and  by  his  famous 
bull-boat  down  the  Big  Horn  and  the  Yellowstone  to  Fort 
Union,  described  in  the  next  chapter,  and  thence  to  St.  Louis. 


She-wee-she  187 

Big  Horn,  and  launch  ourselves  with  Wyeth  in  his 
bull-boat;  and  though  his  adventurous  voyage  will 
take  us  many  hundreds  of  miles  farther  down  wild  and 
wandering  rivers,  yet  such  is  the  magic  power  of  the 
pen,  that  we  promise  to  bring  the  reader  safe  back  to 
Bear  River  Valley,  by  the  time  the  last  horse  is 
saddled. 


CHAPTER  XX 

A  VOYAGE  IN  A  BUU,-BOAT 

IT  was  about  the  middle  of  August  (1833)  that  Mr. 
Wyeth,  as  the  reader  may  recollect,  launched  his 
bull-boat  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  of  the  Big  Horn, 
and  departed  in  advance  of  the  parties  of  Campbell 
and  Cerr6.  His  boat  was  made  of  three  buffalo  skins, 
stretched  on  a  light  frame,  stitched  together,  and  the 
seams  payed  with  elk  tallow  and  ashes.  It  was  eight 
een  feet  long,  and  about  five  feet  six  inches  wide,  sharp 
at  each  end,  with  a  round  bottom,  and  drew  about  a 
foot  and  a  half  of  water;  a  depth  too  great  for  these 
upper  rivers,  which  abound  with  shallows  and  sand 
bars.  The  crew  consisted  of  two  half-breeds,  and  a  Nez 
Perc6  lad  of  eighteen  years  of  age,  a  kind  of  servant  of 
all  work,  whose  great  aim,  like  all  Indian  servants, 
was  to  do  as  little  work  as  possible;  there  was,  more 
over,  a  half-breed  boy,  of  thirteen,  named  Baptiste, 
who  was  travelling  with  Wyeth  to  see  the  world  and 
complete  his  education.  Add  to  these  Mr.  Milton  Sub- 
lette,  who  went  as  passenger,  and  we  have  the  crew  of 
the  little  bull-boat  complete. 

It  certainly  was  a  slight  armament  with  which  to  run 
the  gauntlet  through  countries  swarming  with  hostile 
hordes,  and  a  slight  bark  to  navigate  those  endless 
rivers,  tossing  and  pitching  down  rapids,  running  on 
snags  and  bumping  on  sand-bars;  such,  however,  were 

1*8 


A  Voyage  in  a  Bull-Boat  189 

the  cockle-shells  with  which  those  hardy  rovers  of  the 
wilderness  would  attempt  the  wildest  streams;  and  it 
was  surprising  what  rough  shocks  and  thumps  those 
boats  would  endure,  and  what  vicissitudes  they  would 
live  through.  Milton  Sublette  was  guide  of  this  ad 
venturous  bark;  being  somewhat  experienced  in  this 
wild  kind  of  navigation. 

At  night  they  landed,  hauled  up  their  boat  to  dry, 
pitched  their  tent,  and  made  a  rousing  fire.  Then,  as 
it  was  the  first  evening  of  their  voyage,  they  indulged 
in  a  regale,  relishing  their  buffalo  beef  with  inspiring 
alcohol;  after  which  they  slept  soundly,  without  dream 
ing  of  Crows  or  Blackfeet.  Early  in  the  morning,  they 
again  launched  their  boat  and  committed  themselves  to 
the  stream. 

In  this  way  they  voyaged  for  two  days  without  any 
material  occurrence.  On  the  third  morning,  they  de 
scried  some  persons  at  a  distance  on  the  river  bank. 
As  they  were  now,  by  calculation,  at  no  great  distance 
from  Fort  Cass,  a  trading-post  of  the  American  Fur 
Company,  they  supposed  these  might  be  some  of  its 
people.  A  nearer  approach  showed  them  to  be  Indians. 
Descrying  a  woman  apart  from  the  rest,  they  landed 
and  accosted  her.  She  informed  them  that  the  main 
force  of  the  Crow  nation,  consisting  of  five  bands, 
under  their  several  chiefs,  were  but  about  two  or  three 
miles  below,  on  their  way  up  along  the  river.  This 
was  unpleasant  tidings,  but  to  retreat  was  impossible, 
and  the  river  afforded  no  hiding-place.  They  con 
tinued  forward,  therefore,  trusting  that,  as  Fort  Cass 
was  so  near  at  hand,  the  Crows  might  refrain  from  any 
depredations. 

Floating  down  about  two  miles  farther,  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  first  band,  scattered  along  the  river  bank, 


190  The  Fur  Traders 

all  well  mounted;  some  armed  with  guns,  others  with 
bows  and  arrows,  and  a  few  with  lances.  They  made 
a  wildly  picturesque  appearance,  managing  their  horses 
with  accustomed  dexterity  and  grace.  Nothing  can  be 
more  spirited  than  a  band  of  Crow  cavaliers.  They 
are  a  fine  race  of  men,  averaging  six  feet  in  height, 
lithe  and  active,  with  hawk's  eyes  and  Roman  noses. 
The  latter  feature  is  common  to  the  Indians  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains;  those  on  the  western 
side  have  generally  straight  or  flat  noses. 

Wyeth  would  fain  have  slipped  by  this  cavalcade  un 
noticed;  but  the  river,  at  this  place,  was  not  more  than 
ninety  yards  across;  he  was  perceived,  therefore,  and 
hailed  by  the  vagabond  warriors.  Wyeth  landed  with 
the  best  grace  in  his  power,  and  approached  the  chief 
of  the  band.  It  was  Arapooish,  whom  we  have  already 
mentioned  as  being  anxious  to  promote  a  friendly  in 
tercourse  between  his  tribe  and  the  white  men.  He 
was  a  tall,  stout  man,  of  good  presence,  and  received 
the  voyagers  very  graciously.  His  people,  too,  thronged 
around  them,  and  were  officiously  attentive  after  the 
Crow  fashion.  One  took  a  great  fancy  to  Baptiste,  the 
Flathead  boy,  and  a  still  greater  fancy  to  a  ring  on  his 
finger,  which  he  transposed  to  his  own  with  surprising 
dexterity,  and  then  disappeared  with  a  quick  step 
among  the  crowd. 

Another  was  no  less  pleased  with  the  Nez  Perce"  lad, 
and  nothing  would  do  but  he  must  exchange  knives 
with  him;  drawing  a  new  knife  out  of  the  Nez  Percy's 
scabbard,  and  putting  an  old  one  in  its  place.  Another 
stepped  up  and  replaced  this  old  knife  with  one  still 
older,  and  a  third  helped  himself  to  knife,  scabbard, 
and  all.  It  was  with  much  difficulty  that  Wyeth  and 
his  companions  extricated  themselves  from  the  clutches 


MULTNOMAH   FALLS 
From  a  photograph 


A  Voyage  in  a  Bull-Boat  191 

of  these  officious  Crows,  before  they  were  entirely 
plucked. 

In  this  way  he  was  overhauled  by  several  bands,  and 
by  the  time  he  and  his  people  came  out  of  the  busy 
hands  of  the  last,  they  were  eased  of  most  of  their 
superfluities.  Nothing,  in  all  probability  but  the 
proximity  of  the  American  trading-post  kept  these 
land  pirates  from  making  a  good  prize  of  the  bull-boat 
and  all  its  contents. 

The  last  band  of  Crow  warriors  had  scarce  disap 
peared  in  the  cloud  of  dust  they  had  raised,  when  our 
voyagers  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  glided 
into  the  current  of  the  Yellowstone.  Turning  down 
this  stream,  they  made  for  Fort  Cass,  which  is  situated 
on  the  right  bank,  about  three  miles  below  the  Big 
Horn.  On  the  opposite  side  they  beheld  a  party  of 
thirty-one  savages,  which  they  soon  ascertained  to  be 
Blackfeet.  The  width  of  the  river  enabled  them  to 
keep  at  a  sufficient  distance,  and  they  soon  landed 
at  Fort  Cass.  This  was  a  mere  fortification  against 
Indians — being  a  stockade  of  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  feet  square,  with  two  bastions  at  the  extreme 
corners.  M'Tulloch,  an  agent  of  the  American  Com 
pany,  was  stationed  there  with  twenty  men ;  two  boats 
of  fifteen  tons  burden  were  lying  here ;  but  at  certain 
seasons  of  the  year  a  steamboat  came  up  to  the  fort. 

At  Fort  Cass,  Mr.  Wyeth  disposed  of  some  packages 
of  beaver,  and  a  quantity  of  buffalo  robes.  On  the  fol 
lowing  morning  (August  i8th),  he  once  more  launched 
his  bull-boat,  and  proceeded  down  the  Yellowstone, 
which  inclined  in  an  east-north-east  direction. 

After  a  time  they  came  in  sight  of  a  gang  of  elk. 
Wyeth  was  immediately  for  pursuing  them,  rifle  in 
hand,  but  saw  evident  signs  of  dissatisfaction  in  his 


192  The  Fur  Traders 

half-breed  hunters,  who  considered  him  as  trenching 
upon  their  province,  and  meddling  with  things  quite 
above  his  capacity;  for  these  veterans  of  the  wilder 
ness  were  exceedingly  tenacious  of  their  superior 
ity,  looking  down  with  infinite  contempt  upon  all  raw 
beginners.  The  two  worthies,  therefore,  sallied  forth 
themselves,  but  after  a  time,  returned  empty-handed. 
They  laid  the  blame,  however,  entirely  on  their  guns. 
The  next  day  they  tried  again  and  again  nothing  went 
off  but  the  buffalo. 

Wyeth  now  found  there  was  danger  of  losing  his 
dinner  if  he  depended  upon  his  hunters;  he  took  rifle 
in  hand,  therefore,  and  went  forth  himself.  In  the 
course  of  an  hour,  he  returned  laden  with  buffalo 
meat,  to  the  great  mortification  of  the  two  regular 
hunters. 

Their  voyage  was  pleasant  notwithstanding  the  perils 
by  sea  and  land,  with  which  they  were  environed. 
Whenever  they  could,  they  encamped  on  islands,  for 
the  greater  security.  If  on  the  mainland,  and  in  a 
dangerous  neighbourhood,  they  would  shift  their  camp 
after  dark,  leaving  their  fire  burning,  dropping  down 
the  river  some  distance,  and  making  no  fire  at  their 
second  encampment.  Sometimes  they  would  float  all 
night  with  the  current,  one  keeping  watch  and  steering 
while  the  rest  slept :  in  such  case,  they  would  haul  their 
boat  on  shore  at  noon  on  the  following  day  to  dry ;  for 
notwithstanding  every  precaution,  she  was  gradually 
getting  water-soaked  and  rotten. 

The  two  knowing  hunters  had  scarcely  recovered 
from  one  mortification  when  they  were  fated  to  experi 
ence  another.  As  the  boat  was  gliding  swiftly  round 
a  low  promontory,  thinly  covered  with  trees,  one  of 
them  gave  the  alarm  of  Indians.  The  boat  was  in- 


A  Voyage  in  a  Bull-Boat  193 

stantly  shoved  from  shore,  and  every  one  caught  up 
his  rifle.  "  Where  are  they  ?  "  cried  Wyeth. 

"  There — there!  riding  on  horseback!  "  cried  one  of 
the  hunters. 

"  Yes;  with  white  scarfs  on!  "  cried  the  other. 

Wyeth  looked  in  the  direction  they  pointed,  but 
descried  nothing  but  two  bald  eagles,  perched  on  a  low 
dry  branch,  beyond  the  thickets,  and  seeming,  from 
the  rapid  motion  of  the  boat,  to  be  moving  swiftly  in 
an  opposite  direction.  The  detection  of  this  blunder  in 
the  two  veterans,  who  prided  themselves  on  the  sureness 
and  quickness  of  their  sight,  produced  a  hearty  laugh 
at  their  expense,  and  put  an  end  to  their  vauntings. 

On  the  24th  of  August,  the  bull-boat  emerged,  with 
its  adventurous  crew,  into  the  broad  bosom  of  the 
mighty  Missouri.  Here,  about  six  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Yellowstone,  the  voyagers  landed  at  Fort 
Union,  the  distributing  post  of  the  American  Fur  Com 
pany  in  the  western  country.  It  was  a  stockaded  for 
tress,  about  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet  square, 
pleasantly  situated  on  a  high  bank.  Here  they  were 
hospitably  entertained  by  Mr.  M'Kenzie,  the  super 
intendent,  and  remained  with  him  three  days,  enjoy 
ing  the  unusual  luxuries  of  bread,  butter,  milk,  and 
cheese,  for  the  fort  was  well  supplied  with  domestic 
cattle,  though  it  had  no  garden. 

As  the  bull-boat  was  now  nearly  worn  out,  and  alto 
gether  unfit  for  the  broader  and  more  turbulent  stream 
of  the  Missouri,  it  was  given  up,  and  a  canoe  of  cotton- 
wood,  about  twenty  feet  long,  fabricated  by  the  Black- 
feet,  was  purchased  to  supply  its  place.  In  this  Wyeth 
hoisted  his  sail,  and  bidding  adieu  to  the  hospitable 
superintendent  of  Fort  Union,  turned  his  prow  to  the 

east,  and  set  off  down  the  Missouri. 

13 


194  The  Fur  Traders 

He  had  not  proceeded  many  hours,  before,  in  the 
evening,  he  came  to  a  large  keel  boat,  at  anchor.  It 
proved  to  be  the  boat  of  Captain  William  Sublette, 
freighted  with  munitions  for  carrying  on  a  powerful 
opposition  to  the  American  Fur  Company. 

Here  Milton  Sublette  determined  to  give  up  further 
voyaging  in  the  canoe,  and  remain  with  his  brother; 
accordingly,  in  the  morning,  the  fellow-voyagers  took 
kind  leave  of  each  other,  and  Wyeth  continued  on  his 
course.  There  was  now  no  one  on  board  of  his  boat 
that  had  ever  voyaged  on  the  Missouri ;  it  was,  how 
ever,  all  plain  sailing  down  the  stream,  without  any 
chance  of  missing  the  way. 

All  day  the  voyagers  pulled  gently  along,  and 
landed  in  the  evening  and  supped;  then  re-embarking, 
they  suffered  the  canoe  to  float  down  with  the  current, 
taking  turns  to  watch  and  sleep. 

The  voyagers  were  now  out  of  range  of  the  Crows 
and  the  Blackfeet;  but  they  were  approaching  the 
country  of  the  Aricaras;  a  tribe  no  less  dangerous, 
who  were,  generally,  hostile  to  small  parties. 

In  passing  through  their  country,  Wyeth  laid  by  all 
day,  and  drifted  quietly  down  the  river  at  night.  In 
this  way  he  passed  on,  until  he  supposed  himself  safely 
through  the  region  of  danger,  when  he  resumed  his 
voyaging  in  the  open  day.  On  the  3d  of  September 
he  had  landed,  at  midday,  to  dine;  and  while  some 
were  making  a  fire,  one  of  the  hunters  mounted  a  high 
bank  to  look  out  for  game.  Instead  of  game  he  dis 
covered  a  group  of  twenty-one  lodges;  and,  from  the 
number  of  horses,  computed  that  there  must  be  nearly 
a  hundred  Indians  encamped  there.  They  now  drew 
their  boat,  with  all  speed  and  caution,  into  a  thicket 
of  water  willows,  and  remained  closely  concealed  all 


A  Voyage  in  a  Bull-Boat  195 

day.  As  soon  as  the  night  closed  in  they  re-embarked. 
The  moon  would  rise  early ;  so  that  they  had  but  about 
two  hours  of  darkness  to  get  past  the  camp.  The 
night,  however,  was  cloudy,  with  a  blustering  wind. 
Silently,  and  with  muffled  oars,  they  glided  down 
the  river,  keeping  close  under  the  shore  opposite  to 
the  camp,  watching  its  various  lodges  and  fires,  and  the 
dark  forms  passing  to  and  fro  between  them.  Sud 
denly,  on  turning  a  point  of  land,  they  found  them 
selves  close  upon  a  camp  on  their  own  side  of  the 
river.  It  appeared  that  not  more  than  one  half  of  the 
band  had  crossed.  They  were  within  a  few  yards  of 
the  shore;  they  saw  distinctly  the  savages  —  some 
standing,  some  lying  round  the  fire.  Horses  were 
grazing  around.  Some  lodges  were  set  up;  others  had 
been  sent  across  the  river.  The  red  glare  of  the  fires 
upon  these  wild  groups  and  harsh  faces,  contrasted 
with  the  surrounding  darkness,  had  a  startling  effect, 
as  the  voyagers  suddenly  came  upon  the  scene.  The 
dogs  of  the  camp  perceived  them,  and  barked;  but  the 
Indians,  fortunately,  took  no  heed  of  their  clamour. 
Wyeth  instantly  sheered  his  boat  out  into  the  stream : 
when,  unluckily,  it  struck  upon  a  sand-bar,  and  stuck 
fast.  It  was  a  perilous  and  trying  situation;  for  he 
was  fixed  between  the  two  camps,  and  within  rifle 
range  of  both.  All  hands  jumped  out  into  the  water, 
and  launched  their  canoe  again  into  deep  water,  and 
getting  in,  had  the  delight  of  seeing  the  camp  fires  of 
the  savages  soon  fading  in  the  distance. 

We  forbear  to  detail  all  the  circumstances  and  ad 
ventures  of  upwards  of  a  month's  voyage,  down  the 
windings  and  doublings  of  this  vast  river;  in  the 
course  of  which  they  stopped  occasionally  at  a  post 
of  one  of  the  rival  fur  companies,  or  at  a  government 


196  The  Fur  Traders 

agency  for  an  Indian  tribe.  At  Leavenworth,  the 
frontier  post  of  the  United  States,  where  Mr.  Wyeth 
arrived  on  the  27th  of  September,  1833,  his  first  care 
was  to  have  his  Nez  Perce  Indian,  and  his  half-breed 
boy,  Baptiste,  vaccinated.  The  sight  of  a  soldier  in 
full  array,  with  what  appeared  to  be  a  long  knife  glit 
tering  at  the  end  of  his  musket,  struck  Baptiste  with 
such  affright  that  he  took  to  his  heels,  and  the  Nez 
Perce  would  have  followed  him,  had  not  Wyeth  as 
sured  him  of  his  safety.  When  they  underwent  the 
operation  of  the  lancet,  the  doctor's  wife  and  another 
lady  were  present — the  first  white  women  that  they  had 
seen ;  and  they  could  not  keep  their  eyes  off  them.  On 
returning  to  the  boat,  they  recounted  to  their  com 
panions  all  that  they  had  observed  at  the  fort;  but 
were  especially  eloquent  about  the  white  squaws,  who, 
they  said,  were  white  as  snow,  and  more  beautiful  than 
any  human  being  they  had  ever  beheld. 

We  shall  not  accompany  Mr.  Wyeth  any  farther  in 
his  voyage;  but  will  simply  state  that  he  made  his 
way  to  Boston,  where  he  succeeded  in  organising  an 
association  under  the  name  of  "  The  Columbia  River 
Fishing  and  Trading  Company,"  for  his  original 
objects  of  a  salmon  fishery  and  a  trade  in  furs.  A 
brig,  the  May  Dacre,  had  been  despatched  for  the 
Columbia  with  supplies;  and  he  was  now  on  his  way 
to  the  same  point,  at  the  head  of  sixty  men,  whom  he 
had  enlisted  at  St.  Louis;  some  of  whom  were  experi 
enced  hunters,  and  all  more  habituated  to  the  life  of 
the  wilderness  than  his  first  band  of  "  down-easters. " 

We  will  now  return  to  Captain  Bonneville  and  his 
party,  whom  we  left  making  up  their  packs  and 
saddling  their  horses,  in  Bear  River  Valley. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

FAREWEU,  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS 

IT  was  the  3d  of  July  that  Captain  Bonneville  set  out 
on  his  second  visit  to  the  banks  of  the  Columbia, 
at  the  head  of  twenty-three  men.  He  travelled  leisurely, 
to  keep  his  horses  fresh,  until,  on  the  loth  of  July,  a 
scout  brought  word  that  Wyeth,  with  his  band,  was 
but  fifty  miles  in  the  rear,  and  pushing  forward  with 
all  speed.  This  caused  some  bustle  in  the  camp;  for 
it  was  important  to  get  first  to  the  buffalo  ground  to 
secure  provisions  for  the  journey. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  few  days  Wyeth  rode  ahead 
of  his  party,  and  overtook  Captain  Bonneville.  Their 
meeting  was  friendly  and  courteous;  and  they  discussed 
sociably  their  respective  fortunes  since  they  separated 
on  the  banks  of  the  Big  Horn. 

In  Wyeth's  company  were  travelling  two  men  of 
science — Mr.  Nuttall,  the  botanist,  the  same  who  as 
cended  the  Missouri  at  the  time  of  the  expedition  to 
Astoria;  and  Mr.  Townshend,  the  ornithologist.  Also 
there  were  three  missionaries,  bound  to  the  shores  of 
the  Columbia,  to  spread  the  light  of  the  Gospel  in  that 
fair  wilderness. 

After  riding  for  some  time  together,  in  friendly  con 
versation,  Wyeth  returned  to  his  party,  and  Captain 
Bonneville  continued  to  press  forward,  and  to  gain 
ground.  His  scouts  soon  after  brought  word  of  a  huge 

197 


198  The  Fur  Traders 

herd  of  buffalo,  and  led  the  party  to  a  plain  that  was 
for  the  next  two  days  to  witness  all  the  scenes  of  a 
great  buffalo  hunt  and  the  attendant  curing  and  stow 
ing  away  of  the  meat. 

By  this  time  Wyeth's  party  was  in  sight,  and 
Wyeth  himself  came  in  the  evening  to  pay  Captain 
Bonneville  a  visit.  He  was  accompanied  by  Captain 
Stewart,  the  amateur  traveller,  who  had  not  yet  sated 
his  appetite  for  the  adventurous  life  of  the  wilderness. 
With  him,  also,  was  a  Mr.  M'Kay,  a  half-breed,  son  of 
the  unfortunate  adventurer  of  the  same  name  who 
came  out  in  the  first  maritime  expedition  to  Astoria 
and  was  blown  up  in  the  Tonquin.  His  son  had  grown 
up  in  the  employ  of  the  British  fur  companies;  and 
was  a  prime  hunter  and  a  daring  partisan.  He  held, 
moreover,  a  farm  in  the  valley  of  the  Willamette. 

The  Captain  now  set  to  work  with  his  men  to  prepare 
a  suitable  entertainment  for  his  guests.  It  was  a  time 
of  plenty  in  the  camp;  of  prime  hunters'  dainties, — of 
buffalo  humps,  and  buffalo  tongues,  and  roasted  ribs, 
and  broiled  marrow-bones:  all  these  were  cooked  in 
hunters'  style,  served  up  with  a  profusion  known  only 
on  a  plentiful  hunting  ground,  and  discussed  with  an 
appetite  that  would  astonish  the  puny  gourmands  of 
the  cities.  But  above  all,  and  to  give  a  bacchanalian 
grace  to  this  truly  masculine  repast,  the  Captain  pro 
duced  a  mellifluous  keg  of  home-brewed  nectar. 

Early  in  the  morning,  Captain  Bonneville  ordered 
the  half-dried  meat  to  be  packed  upon  the  horses,  and 
leaving  Wyeth  and  his  party  to  hunt  the  scattered 
buffalo,  pushed  off  rapidly  to  regain  the  trail.  On 
reaching  the  Columbia,  Captain  Bonneville  hoped  to 
open  a  trade  with  the  natives,  for  fish  and  other  pro 
visions,  but  to  his  surprise,  they  kept  aloof,  and  even 


Farewell  to  the  Mountains  199 

hid  themselves  on  his  approach.  He  soon  discovered 
that  they  were  under  the  influence  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  who  had  forbidden  them  to  trade,  or  hold 
any  communion  with  him.  He  proceeded  along  the 
Columbia,  but  it  was  everywhere  the  same;  not  an 
article  of  provisions  was  to  be  obtained  from  the  natives, 
and  he  was,  at  length,  obliged  to  kill  a  couple  of  his 
horses  to  sustain  his  famishing  people. 

To  advance  under  present  circumstances  would  be  to 
court  starvation.  The  resources  of  the  country  were 
locked  against  them  by  the  influence  of  a  jealous  and 
powerful  monopoly.  But  by  hastening  their  return, 
they  would  be  able  to  reach  the  Blue  Mountains  just 
in  time  to  find  the  elk,  the  deer,  and  the  bighorn;  and 
after  they  had  supplied  themselves  with  provisions, 
they  might  push  through  the  mountains,  before  they 
were  entirely  blocked  up  by  snow.  Influenced  by 
these  considerations,  Captain  Bonneville  reluctantly 
turned  his  back  a  second  time  on  the  Columbia,  and 
set  off  for  the  Blue  Mountains.  He  took  his  course  up 
John  Day's  River,  so  called  from  one  of  the  hunters  in 
the  original  Astorian  enterprise. 

It  was  the  20th  of  October  when  they  found  them 
selves  once  more  upon  the  banks  of  the  Snake;  but  it 
was  not  until  the  travellers  reached  the  headwaters  of 
the  Portneuf  that  they  really  found  themselves  in  a 
region  of  abundance.  Here  two  horsemen  reached 
camp  from  Montero's  party;  which  had  been  sent  to 
beat  up  the  Crow  country  and  the  Black  Hills,  and  to 
winter  on  the  Arkansas.  The  Captain  retained  the 
messengers  with  him  until  the  iyth  of  November,  when, 
having  reached  the  caches  on  Bear  River,  and  procured 
thence  the  required  supplies,  he  sent  them  back  to  their 
party;  appointing  a  rendezvous  towards  the  last  of  June 


2OO  The  Fur  Traders 

following,  on  the  forks  of  Wind  River  Valley,  in  the 
Crow  country. 

Game  continued  to  abound  throughout  the  winter; 
and  the  carnp  was  overstocked  with  provisions.  Beef 
and  venison,  humps  and  haunches,  buffalo  tongues  and 
marrow-bones,  were  constantly  cooking  at  every  fire; 
and  the  whole  atmosphere  was  redolent  with  the  savoury 
fumes  of  roast  meat. 

The  mountain  business  was  already  on  its  downhill 
road;  none  of  the  companies  had  made  more  than 
enough  to  pay  their  men,  and  an  air  of  gloom  had  per 
vaded  the  annual  (1834)  rendezvous.  Much  to  Wyeth's 
astonishment,  when  he  reached  that  gathering,  the 
goods  which  he  had  contracted  to  bring  up  for  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  were  refused  by  those 
honourable  gentlemen — in  fact,  that  body  was  on  the 
point  of  dissolution,  and  was  actually  succeeded  a 
month  later  (July  2oth),  by  the  new  firm  of  Fitzpatrick, 
Sublette,  and  Bridger. 

Meantime,  Wyeth,  finding  himself  encumbered  with 
a  quantity  of  goods  which  he  had  expected  to  be  rid  of 
at  Green  River,  built  a  fort  as  soon  as  he  reached  Snake 
River,  named  it  Fort  Hall,  and,  having  deposited  there 
his  surplus  goods  in  the  care  of  eleven  men,  he  pro 
ceeded,  reaching  Fort  Vancouver  September  14,  1834. 
The  brig  May  Dacre  arrived  next  day,  three  months 
behind  her  schedule,  and  quite  too  late  for  the  fishing 
season. 

In  spite  of  Wyeth's  great  efforts,  however,  his  busi 
ness  did  not  prosper.  "I  was  impressed,"  wrote  an 
intelligent  traveller,1  "with  the  belief  that  he  was,  be 
yond  comparison,  the  most  talented  business  man  from 
the  States  that  ever  established  himself  in  Oregon. 
1  T.  J.  Farnham,  Travels  in  the  Western  Prairies. 


Farewell  to  the  Mountains  201 

But  in  pursuance  of  the  avowed  doctrine  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  that  no  others  have  a  right  to  trade  in 
furs  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains,  whilst  the  use  of 
capital  and  perseverance  and  their  incomparable  skill 
can  prevent  it,  they  established  a  fort  near  his  at  Fort 
Hall,  preceded  him,  followed  him,  surrounded  him 
everywhere,  and  cut  the  throat  of  his  prosperity  with 
such  kindness  and  politeness  that  Wyeth  was  induced 
to  sell  his  whole  interest  in  Oregon  to  his  generous, 
but  too  skilful  and  powerful  antagonist."  Like  Astor, 
Wyeth  failed  through  causes,  partly  international,  over 
which  an  individual  had  no  control. 

The  winter  at  last  broke  up,  the  snows  melted  from 
the  hills  and  from  the  lower  parts  of  the  mountains, 
and  the  time  for  decamping  arrived.  Captain  Bonne- 
ville  despatched  a  party  to  the  caches,  who  brought 
away  all  the  effects  concealed  there,  and  on  the  ist  of 
April  (1835),  the  camp  was  broken  up,  and  every  one 
on  the  move.  Captain  Bonneville  and  his  party  passed 
by  Ham's  Fork,  and  reached  the  Green  River  without 
accident,  on  the  banks  of  which  they  remained  during 
the  residue  of  the  spring. 

On  the  loth  of  June  the  party  were  a  little  to  the 
east  of  Wind  River  Mountains,  where  they  halted  for 
a  time  in  excellent  pasturage,  to  give  their  horses  a 
chance  to  recruit  their  strength  for  a  long  journey;  for 
it  was  Captain  Bonneville's  intention  to  shape  his  course 
to  the  settlements;  having  already  been  detained  by 
the  complication  of  his  duties,  and  by  various  losses 
and  impediments,  far  beyond  the  time  specified  in  his 
leave  of  absence. 

While  the  party  was  thus  reposing  a  solitary  free 
trapper  rode  one  day  into  the  camp,  and  accosted  Cap 
tain  Bonneville.  He  belonged,  he  said,  to  a  party  of 


2O2  The  Fur  Traders 

thirty  hunters,  who  had  just  passed  through  the  neigh 
bourhood,  but  whom  he  had  abandoned  in  consequence 
of  their  ill  treatment  of  a  brother  trapper,  whom  they 
had  cast  off  from  their  party,  and  left  with  his  bag  and 
baggage,  and  an  Indian  wife  into  the  bargain,  in  the 
midst  of  a  desolate  prairie.  The  horseman  gave  a 
piteous  account  of  the  situation  of  this  helpless  pair, 
and  solicited  the  loan  of  horses  to  bring  them  and  their 
effects  to  the  camp. 

The  Captain  was  not  a  man  to  refuse  assistance 
to  any  one  in  distress;  horses  were  immediately  de 
spatched,  with  an  escort,  to  aid  the  unfortunate  couple. 
The  next  day,  they  made  their  appearance  with  all 
their  effects:  the  man,  a  stalwart  mountaineer,  with  a 
peculiarly  game  look;  the  woman,  a  young  Blackfoot 
beauty,  arrayed  in  the  trappings  and  trinketry  of  a  free 
trapper's  bride. 

Captain  Bonneville  drew  from  the  Indian  woman  her 
whole  story. 

"  I  was  the  wife,"  said  she,  "of  a  Blackfoot  warrior, 
and  I  served  him  faithfully.  Who  was  so  well  served 
as  he  ?  Whose  lodge  was  so  well  provided,  or  kept  so 
clean?  I  brought  wood  in  the  morning,  and  placed 
water  always  at  hand.  I  watched  for  his  coming;  and 
he  found  his  meat  cooked  and  ready.  If  he  rose  to  go 
forth,  there  was  nothing  to  delay  him.  I  searched  the 
thought  that  was  in  his  heart,  to  save  him  the  trouble 
of  speaking.  When  I  went  abroad  on  errands  for  him, 
the  chiefs  and  warriors  smiled  upon  me,  and  the  young 
braves  spoke  soft  things  in  secret ;  but  my  feet  were  in 
the  straight  path,  and  my  eyes  could  see  nothing  but 
him. 

' '  When  he  went  out  to  hunt,  or  to  war,  who  aided 
to  equip  him  but  I  ?  When  he  returned,  I  met  him 


Farewell  to  the  Mountains  203 

at  the  door;  I  took  his  gun;  and  he  entered  without 
further  thought.  While  he  sat  and  smoked,  I  un 
loaded  his  horses;  tied  them  to  the  stakes;  brought  in 
their  loads,  and  was  quickly  at  his  feet.  If  his  moc 
casins  were  wet,  I  took  them  off  and  put  on  others 
which  were  dry  and  warm.  I  dressed  all  the  skins  he 
had  taken  in  the  chase.  He  could  never  say  to  me, 
why  is  it  not  done  ?  He  hunted  the  deer,  the  antelope, 
and  the  buffalo,  and  he  watched  for  the  enemy.  Every 
thing  else  was  done  by  me.  When  our  people  moved 
their  camp,  he  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away;  free 
as  though  he  had  fallen  from  the  skies.  He  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  labour  of  the  camp;  it  was  I 
that  packed  the  horses,  and  led  them  on  the  journey. 
When  we  halted  in  the  evening,  and  he  sat  with  the 
other  braves  and  smoked,  it  was  I  that  pitched  his 
lodge ;  and  when  he  came  to  eat  and  sleep,  his  supper 
and  his  bed  were  ready. 

"  I  served  him  faithfully ;  and  what  was  my  reward  ? 
A  cloud  was  always  on  his  brow,  and  sharp  lightning 
on  his  tongue.  I  was  his  dog;  and  not  his  wife. 

"  Who  was  it  that  scarred  and  bruised  me  ?  It  was 
he.  My  brother  saw  how  I  was  treated.  His  heart 
was  big  for  me.  He  begged  me  to  leave  my  tyrant  and 
fly.  Where  could  I  go  ?  If  retaken,  who  would  pro 
tect  me?  My  brother  was  not  a  chief;  he  could  not 
save  me  from  blows  and  wounds,  perhaps  death.  At 
length  I  was  persuaded.  I  followed  my  brother  from 
the  village.  He  pointed  the  way  to  the  Nez  Perec's, 
and  bade  me  go  and  live  in  peace  among  them.  We 
parted.  On  the  third  day  I  saw  the  lodges  of  the  Nez 
Perces  before  me.  I  paused  for  a  moment,  and  had  no 
heart  to  go  on;  but  my  horse  neighed,  and  I  took  it  as 
a  good  sign,  and  suffered  him  to  gallop  forward.  In  a 


204  The  Fur  Traders 

little  while  I  was  in  the  midst  of  the  lodges.  As  I  sat 
silent  on  my  horse,  the  people  gathered  round  me,  and 
inquired  whence  I  came.  I  told  my  story.  A  chief 
now  wrapped  his  blanket  close  around  him,  and  bade 
me  dismount.  I  obeyed.  He  took  my  horse  to  lead 
him  away.  My  heart  grew  small  within  me.  I  felt, 
on  parting  with  my  horse,  as  if  my  last  friend  was  gone. 
I  had  no  words,  and  my  eyes  were  dry.  As  he  led  off 
my  horse,  a  young  brave  stepped  forward.  'Are  you  a 
chief  of  the  people  ?  '  cried  he.  'Do  we  listen  to  you  in 
council,  and  follow  you  in  battle  ?  Behold !  a  stranger 
flies  to  our  camp  from  the  dogs  of  Blackfeet,  and  asks 
protection.  Let  shame  cover  your  face !  The  stranger 
is  a  woman,  and  alone.  If  she  were  a  warrior,  or  had 
a  warrior  by  her  side,  your  heart  would  not  be  big 
enough  to  take  her  horse.  But  he  is  yours.  By  the 
right  of  war  you  may  claim  him;  but  look ! ' — his  bow 
was  drawn,  and  the  arrow  ready! — 'you  never  shall 
cross  his  back! '  The  arrow  pierced  the  heart  of  the 
horse,  and  he  fell  dead. 

"An  old  woman  said  she  would  be  my  mother.  She 
led  me  to  her  lodge:  my  heart  was  thawed  by  her  kind 
ness,  and  my  eyes  burst  forth  with  tears;  like  the 
frozen  fountains  in  spring-time.  She  never  changed; 
but  as  the  days  passed  away,  was  still  a  mother  to  me. 
The  people  were  loud  in  praise  of  the  young  brave,  and 
the  chief  was  ashamed.  I  lived  in  peace. 

"A  party  of  trappers  came  to  the  village,  and  one  of 
them  took  me  for  his  wife.  This  is  he.  I  am  very 
happy;  he  treats  me  with  kindness,  and  I  have  taught 
hinr  the  language  of  my  people.  As  we  were  travel 
ling  this  way,  some  of  the  Blackfeet  warriors  beset  us, 
and  carried  off  the  horses  of  the  party.  We  followed, 
and  my  husband  held  a  parley  with  them.  The  guns 


Farewell  to  the  Mountains  205 

were  laid  down,  and  the  pipe  was  lighted;  but  some  of 
the  white  men  attempted  to  seize  the  horses  by  force, 
and  then  a  battle  began.  The  snow  was  deep;  the 
white  men  sank  into  it  at  every  step;  but  the  red  men, 
with  their  snow-shoes,  passed  over  the  surface  like  birds, 
and  drove  off  many  of  the  horses  in  sight  of  their  own 
ers.  With  those  that  remained  we  resumed  our  jour 
ney.  At  length  words  took  place  between  the  leader 
of  the  party  and  my  husband.  He  took  away  our 
horses,  which  had  escaped  in  the  battle,  and  turned  us 
from  his  camp.  My  husband  had  one  good  friend 
among  the  trappers.  That  is  he  "  (pointing  to  the  man 
who  had  asked  assistance  for  them).  "  He  is  a  good 
man.  His  heart  is  big.  When  he  came  in  from  hunt 
ing,  and  found  that  we  had  been  driven  away,  he  gave 
up  all  his  wages,  and  followed  us,  that  he  might  speak 
good  words  for  us  to  the  white  Captain." 

On  the  22d  of  June,  Captain  Bonneville  raised  his 
camp,  and  moved  to  the  forks  of  Wind  River,  the  ap 
pointed  place  of  rendezvous.  In  a  few  days,  he  was 
joined  there  by  the  brigade  of  Montero. 

The  united  parties  now  celebrated  the  4th  of  July,  in 
rough  hunters'  style,  with  hearty  conviviality;  after 
which  Captain  Bonneville  made  his  final  arrangements. 
Leaving  Montero  with  a  brigade  of  trappers  to  open 
another  campaign,  he  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
residue  of  his  men,  and  set  off  on  his  return  to  civilised 
life,  journeying  along  the  course  of  the  Platte  from 
point  to  point  until  he  and  his  band  reached  the  fron 
tier  settlements  on  the  22d  of  August,  1835. 

Here  his  cavalcade  might  have  been  taken  for  a  pro 
cession  of  tatterdemalion  savages;  for  the  men  were 
ragged  almost  to  nakedness,  and  had  contracted  a  wild- 
ness  of  aspect  during  three  years  of  wandering  in  the 


206  The  Fur  Traders 

wilderness.  A  few  hours  in  a  populous  town,  however, 
produced  a  magical  change.  Hats  of  the  most  ample 
brim  and  longest  nap;  coats  with  buttons  that  shone 
like  mirrors,  and  pantaloons  of  the  most  ample  fulness, 
took  the  place  of  the  well-worn  trapper's  equipments; 
and  the  happy  wearers  strolled  about  in  all  directions, 
scattering  their  silver  like  sailors  just  from  a  cruise. 

The  worthy  Captain,  however,  by  no  means  shared 
the  excitement  of  his  men,  on  finding  himself  once 
more  in  the  thronged  resorts  of  civilised  life ;  but,  on 
the  contrary,  looked  back  to  the  wilderness  with  re 
gret.  "  To  those  of  us,"  said  he,  "  whose  whole  lives 
had  been  spent  in  the  stirring  excitement  and  perpetual 
watchfulness  of  adventures  in  the  wilderness,  the 
change  was  far  from  promising  an  increase  of  that  con 
tentment  and  inward  satisfaction  most  conducive  to 
happiness." 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  1835,  at  the  country  seat  of 
Mr.  John  Jacob  Astor,  the  father  of  the  fur  trade  on 
American  soil,  that  Mr.  Irving  first  met  Captain  Bonne- 
ville,  who  was  then  just  returned  from  a  residence  of 
upwards  of  three  years  among  the  mountains,  and  was 
on  his  way  to  report  himself  at  headquarters  in  the 
hope  of  being  reinstated  in  the  service.  "  By  the  Eter 
nal,  sir!  "  President  Jackson  is  said  to  have  exclaimed, 
when  Bonneville  showed  him  his  map,  "  I  '11  see  that 
you  are  reinstated  to  your  command.  For  this  valu 
able  service  to  the  War  Department  and  the  country 
you  deserve  high  promotion."  l 

1  In  his  later  career,  Bonneville  served  in  the  Seminole  and 
Mexican  wars,  being  made  Lieutenant-Colonel  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  service  at  Contreras  and  Churubusco.  At  the  close 
of  the  Civil  War  he  was  breveted  Brigadier-General.  He  died 
at  Fort  Smith,  June  12,  1878. 


Farewell  to  the  Mountains  207 

His  wanderings  in  the  wilderness,  while  they  had 
gratified  his  curiosity  and  his  love  of  adventure,  had 
not  much  benefited  his  fortunes.  In  fact,  he  was  too 
much  of  a  frank,  free-hearted  soldier  to  make  a  schem 
ing  trapper  or  a  thrifty  bargainer.  He  was  popular 
with  his  men,  and  a  great  favourite  with  the  free  trap 
pers  and  Indians,  who,  however,  sold  their  furs  in  the 
other  camp.  It  was  to  his  credit,  too,  that  he  lost  not 
a  man  from  his  company  at  a  time  when  hunters  and 
trappers  perished  in  considerable  numbers  from  rival 
companies. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  COMPANIES 

THE  career  of  Captain  Bonneville  in  the  mountains 
was  typical  of  a  great  number  of  independent 
attempts  to  secure  a  foothold  there  and  win  some  share 
in  the  fur  trade.  It  met,  too,  the  fate  of  all  such  in 
dividual  efforts  in  the  face  of  thorough  organisation, 
experience,  and  a  capital  large  enough  to  withstand 
temporary  losses.  Captain  Bonneville,  moreover,  could 
not  equal  the  underhand  tricks  of  the  experienced  par 
tisan  ;  in  fact,  he  failed  whenever  he  tried  anything  of 
the  kind.  But  he  gathered  about  him  an  enthusiastic 
band  of  men,  and  welcomed  all  comers  with  lavish 
hospitality. 

We  gladly  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  Captain  Bonne 
ville  collected  few  furs  in  the  satisfaction  he  affords  us 
of  a  glimpse  at  the  wild  life  of  that  day  through  eyes 
that  looked  kindly  and  knew  sympathy.  It  did  not 
prejudice  him,  if  the  free  trappers  who  shared  his  good 
cheer  did  not  bring  him  furs.  He  fairly  revelled  in  the 
fierce,  barbaric  life  about  him ;  and  his  camp  was  the 
cosmopolitan  centre  of  the  region. 

The  real  success  of  the  mountain  trade  belonged  to 
General  Ashley  and  the  enterprising  young  men  whom 
he  led  with  him  into  the  wilderness.  Their  movements 
have  been  repeatedly  referred  to  in  the  preceding  pages, 
and  it  is  scarcely  out  of  place  here  to  remind  the  reader 

208 


The  Last  of  the  Companies         209 

that  after  General  Ashley  returned  to  St.  L,ouis  with  so 
large  a  cargo  of  beaver  skins  that  it  set  the  wisest  of 
the  traders  agog  with  excitement,  he  gratified  his  long 
ing  for  a  political  life,  selling  his  business  to  Smith, 
Jackson,  and  Sublette  (1826).  They  in  turn,  in  1830, 
disposed  of  their  interests  to  a  younger  set  of  men  who 
had  distinguished  themselves  for  their  ability  and 
enterprise.  They  were  Fitzpatrick,  M.  G.  Sublette, 
Fraeb,  Gervais,  and  Bridger. 

Thus  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  came  into 
existence,  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name;  and  it  had  as 
partners  the  most  daring  and  successful  leaders  who 
were  in  the  mountains  during  the  four  years  of  its  ex 
istence.  They  devoted  their  efforts  chiefly  to  obtaining 
beaver  skins,  and  that  almost  entirely  through  their 
own  trappers  rather  than  in  trade.  It  is  reported  that 
they  shipped  to  St.  L,ouis  within  four  years  over  one 
hundred  thousand  beaver  skins  of  a  value  in  dollars 
five  times  that  number.  They  dissolved  partnership 
at  the  annual  rendezvous  in  1834,  the  time  when  they 
refused  to  accept  the  goods  from  Wyeth  which  they 
had  ordered. 

By  a  temporary  arrangement,  Fitzpatrick,  Sublette, 
and  Bridger  continued  the  business  for  a  time;  but 
Fitzpatrick  and  Bridger  soon  took  service  individually 
with  the  American  Fur  Company.1  The  downfall  of 

1  Bridget  continued  in  this  service  until  1843,  when  he 
founded  Fort  Bridger  for  the  purpose  of  provisioning  immi 
grants  and  repairing  their  outfits.  He  was  constantly  em 
ployed  during  the  next  twenty  years  as  a  guide  for  government 
expeditions,  for  he  had  no  equal  in  his  knowledge  of  the  great 
mountains.  He  long  outlived  even  this  kind  of  usefulness, 
settling  late  in  life  on  a  farm  near  Kansas  City,  Missouri, 
where  he  died  in  1881. 


2io  The  Fur  Traders 

the  mountain  trade  was  so  evidently  at  hand  that  it  was 
good  policy  for  them  to  take  shelter  in  the  well-estab 
lished  river  posts  of  their  great  rival. 

The  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company  was  a  remark 
able  school  of  exploration.  Its  various  leaders  were 
the  first  to  visit  the  region  about  the  sources  of  the 
Platte,  Green,  Yellowstone,  and  Snake  rivers.  They 
opened  up  the  country  about  the  Great  Salt  L,ake,  and 
penetrated  thence  into  California  and  Oregon,  leaving 
a  deep  impress  on  the  geography  of  the  West,  not  alone 
because  they  discovered  so  many  important  rivers, 
passes,  and  mountains,  and  gave  permanent  names  to 
them,  but  because  all  the  maps  before  1840  were  made 
up  entirely  from  their  knowledge.  They  encountered 
dangers  without  end,  and  during  twelve  years  in  the 
mountains  they  lost  a  hundred  men  from  their  number 
by  violent  death. 


With  the  downfall  of  the  mountain  trade  in  1834, 
amid  rabid  competition  and  bitter  feuds,  the  American 
Fur  Company  found  itself  in  a  stronger  position  than 
any  of  its  rivals.  It  had  engaged  in  the  mountain  trade 
in  order  to  maintain  its  prestige  and  with  the  hope  of 
profit  later;  but  it  meanwhile  was  strengthening  its 
foundations  and  getting  its  profits  from  its  three  strong 
river  posts,  Fort  Union,  Fort  M'Kenzie,  and  Fort  Cass. 
Over  these  ruled  Kenneth  M'Kenzie,  the  king  of  the 
U.  M.  O.,  the  ablest  trader  in  the  employ  of  the 
company. 

The  advance  up  the  Missouri  had  begun  as  early  as 
1828,  under  the  leadership  of  M'Kenzie;  and  it  con 
tinued  for  the  next  four  years,  until  the  posts  just 
named  were  well  established,  and  branches  for  trade  had 


The  Last  of  the  Companies         211 

been  extended  in  every  direction.  All  this  M'Kenzie 
accomplished,  and  he  strengthened  his  hold  still  more 
by  persuading  the  company  to  build  a  steamboat  with 
which  to  bring  the  supplies  to  the  upper  river  posts. 
The  first  trip  of  the  Yellowstone  on  this  errand  in  1831 
showed  the  possibilities  of  this  means  of  communica 
tion,  though  the  boat  did  not  ascend  the  river  above 
Fort  Tecumseh,  at  the  mouth  of  what  is  now  called  the 
Bad  River. 

"  The  voyage  of  the  Yellowstone  in  1832  has  been  a 
landmark  in  the  history  of  the  West.  It  demonstrated 
the  practicability  of  navigating  the  Missouri  by  steam 
as  far  as  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone,  with  a  strong 
probability  that  boats  could  go  on  to  the  Blackfoot 
country.  Among  the  passengers  was  the  artist  Catlin, 
whose  works  have  given  added  celebrity  to  the  voyage. 
The  boat  left  St.  L,ouis  March  26,  1832.  It  made  ex 
tremely  slow  progress,  and  did  not  reach  Fort  Tecum 
seh  until  the  3ist  of  May.  Here  a  delay  of  six  days 
occurred,  during  which  the  new  fort,  built  to  replace 
the  old  one,  was  christened  Fort  Pierre,  in  honour  of 
the  distinguished  trader,  Pierre  Chouteau,  Jr.,  who 
was  a  passenger  on  the  boat."  J 

The  Yellowstone  reached  Fort  Union  on  June  lyth, 
and  then  made  a  quick  return  voyage,  averaging  a 
hundred  miles  a  day.  It  reached  St.  Louis  July  yth. 
The  voyage  aroused  much  interest  not  only  in  the 
United  States  but  in  Europe.  Writing  from  New 
York,  Ramsay  Crooks  thus  addressed  Mr.  Chouteau 
upon  the  subject:  "  I  congratulate  you  most  cordially 
on  your  perseverance  and  ultimate  success  in  reaching 
the  Yellowstone  by  steam;  and  the  future  historian 

1  Chittenden's  History  of  the  American  Fur  Trade  in  the 
Far  West,  p.  340. 


212  The  Fur  Traders 

will  preserve  for  you  the  honourable  and  enviable  dis 
tinction  of  having  accomplished  an  object  of  immense 
importance,  by  exhibiting  the  practicability  of  con 
quering  the  obstructions  of  the  Missouri,  considered 
till  almost  the  present  day  insurmountable  to  steam 
boats  even  among  those  best  acquainted  with  their 
capabilities.  You  have  brought  the  Falls  of  the  Mis 
souri  as  near  as  was  the  River  Platte  in  my  younger 
days."  And  Mr.  Astor,  writing  from  Bellevue,  France, 
said  to  Mr.  Chouteau:  "  Your  voyage  in  the  Yellow 
stone  attracted  much  attention  in  Europe  and  has  been 
noted  in  all  the  papers  here."  ' 

The  Missouri  Republican,  commenting  on  the  voyage, 
said:  "  Many  of  the  Indians  who  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  trading  with  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  declared 
that  the  company  could  no  longer  compete  with  the 
Americans,  and  concluded  thereafter  to  bring  all  their 
skins  to  the  latter;  and  said  t,hat  the  British  might 
turn  out  their  dogs  and  burn  their  sledges,  as  they 
would  no  longer  be  useful  while  the  Fire  Boat  walked 
on  the  waters."  a 

The  stress  of  competition  was  felt  along  the  Missouri 
as  well  as  in  the  mountains.  In  dealing  with  the  In 
dians,  one  article — whiskey — had  become  an  absolute 
necessity.  It  was  used  without  stint  or  reason  by  the 
irregular  traders,  and  it  commanded  the  trade  with  the 
Indians  wherever  it  was  placed.  Now  that  Congress, 
in  1832,  had  forbidden  the  importation  of  liquor  into 
the  Indian  country,  M'Kenzie  found  himself  at  a  great 
disadvantage,  for  he  could  not  readily  smuggle  a  supply 
past  the  rigid  inspection  of  the  military  frontier.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  irresponsible  small  trader  had  no 

'Quoted  by  Captain  Chittenden,  History  of  the  American 
Fur  Trade  in  the  Far  West,  p.  341.  *  Ibid.,  p.  341. 


The  Last  of  the  Companies         213 

great  difficulty  in  outwitting  the  authorities;  and  once 
he  reached  the  prairies  he  had  nothing  more  to  fear, 
and  much  to  hope  for. 

Whiskey  it  was  that  M'Kenzie  felt  he  must  have,  if 
he  would  maintain  the  position  he  had  worked  so  hard 
to  attain.  True,  Congress  had  said  it  should  not  be 
brought  among  the  Indians,  but  that  law  did  not  pre 
vent  its  being  made  there.  Accordingly,  when  the 
Yellowstone  came  up  the  river  in  1833,  she  brought 
M'Kenzie,  in  answer  to  his  order,  a  complete  outfit  for 
distilling  liquor,  and  with  it  several  hundred  bushels 
of  corn,  with  which  to  begin  its  use. 

It  was  this  distillery  in  full  operation  that  Wyeth  and 
Cerre  saw  when  they  visited  Fort  Union  in  the  course 
of  their  famous  bull-boat  trip  during  that  same  summer 
(I833).  They  were  royally  entertained  by  M'Kenzie; 
but  at  their  departure  they  were  so  mulcted  for  some 
necessary  supplies  that  in  anger  they  reported  the  vio 
lation  of  the  law  at  the  first  government  post,  Fort 
Leavenworth.  The  company  had  so  many  enemies 
and  M'Kenzie  so  many  rivals  that  the  news  spread 
with  all  the  speed  of  bitter  rumour  throughout  the 
country.  The  facts  were  brought  up  in  Congress,  and 
it  was  only  by  a  bit  of  sharp  practice  that  the  com 
pany's  license  to  trade  among  the  Indians  was  saved 
from  being  revoked. 

In  saving  itself  the  company  made  a  scapegoat  of 
M'Kenzie,  whose  usefulness  was  now  at  an  end.  They 
promised  implicit  obedience  to  all  the  regulations  gov 
erning  the  trade  with  the  Indians,  and  ordered  the  still 
to  be  destroyed.  M'  Kenzie  came  down  the  river  in  the 
summer  of  1834.  After  a  trip  to  Europe  and  a  short 
visit  to  Fort  Union  in  which  to  close  up  his  private 
affairs,  he  settled  at  St.  L,ouis,  where  he  died  in  1861. 


214  The  Fur  Traders 

The  year  1834,  besides  marking  the  end  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Fur  Company,  the  failure  of  Captain  Bonne- 
ville's  expedition,  and  the  forced  retirement  of  M'Ken- 
zie  from  the  "  U.  M.  O.,"  was  a  momentous  year  for 
the  fur  trade  in  other  respects.  The  staple  fur  of  the 
organised  trappers  and  traders  was  the  beaver,  which 
was  chiefly  used  for  men's  hats.  But  as  early  as  1832 
hats  were  to  be  seen  in  the  streets  of  London  and  Paris 
that  were  made  of  silk  instead  of  beaver.  In  fact,  so 
rapidly  was  this  new  style  introduced  that  at  the  time 
of  Captain  Bonne ville's  return  from  the  mountains 
(1835)  the  market  for  beaver  skins  had  become  so  dull 
that  only  the  finest  quality  of  skins  found  sale  at  a 
profit. 

It  was  this  impending  change  in  the  character  and 
interests  of  the  fur  trade  that  prompted  Mr.  Astor  to 
dispose  of  his  share  in  the  American  Fur  Company, 
and  retire  from  active  business.  He  was,  as  he  had 
always  been  since  he  incorporated  that  company  in 
1808,  the  greatest  figure  in  the  fur  trade — great  in 
wealth  and  greatest  in  sagacity.  In  this  notable  year, 
1834,  Mr.  Astor  sold  the  Western  Department,  includ 
ing  the  Upper  Missouri  Outfit,  to  Pratte,  Chouteau, 
and  Company,  and  thus  restored  to  the  St.  Louis 
traders  the  control  of  the  Missouri  and  mountain  traffic 
which  he  had  wrested  from  them  twelve  years  before. 

The  Northern  Department,  with  its  headquarters  at 
Mackinac,  Mr.  Astor  sold  to  Ramsay  Crooks  of  Snake 
River  fame,  who  had  for  many  years  been  actively  con 
nected  with  the  management  of  the  whole  company. 
Mr.  Crooks  retained  the  original  name  of  the  American 
Fur  Company  and  became  its  president.  He  removed 
to  New  York  and  managed  from  there  his  many  busi 
ness  interests. 


The  Last  of  the  Companies         215 

After  four  years,  the  firm  of  Pierre  Chouteau,  Jr. ,  and 
Company  replaced  that  of  Pratte,  Chouteau,  and  Com 
pany  (1838),  and  it  continued  to  maintain  the  tradi 
tional  dignity  and  reputation  of  the  great  company 
during  the  next  twenty  years.  There  was  always  com 
petition  to  be  subdued  by  clever  tactics  that  were  quite 
as  often  political  as  commercial.  But  the  chief  concern 
became  that  of  constant  readjustment  to  a  constantly 
narrowing  field  of  operation,  until,  with  the  death  of 
Mr.  Crooks  in  1859,  and  of  Mr.  Chouteau  in  1865,  or 
ganised  fur  trading  in  the  Far  West  became  a  thing  of 
history. 

Contrary  to  the  general  belief,  the  annual  collection 
of  furs  from  the  regions  described  in  these  pages  is  to 
day  greater  than  it  was  at  any  time  during  the  best 
years  of  organised  trapping  and  trading.  Many  of  the 
smaller  fur-bearing  animals  have  greatly  increased  in 
number,  for  they  find  plenty  of  food  in  the  farmers' 
fields,  and  they  thrive  well  in  the  half-settled  condition 
of  the  country.  On  the  other  hand,  the  larger  wild 
animals  have  almost  disappeared — the  beaver  from  his 
old  haunts,  the  various  species  of  bear  and  wolves  have 
become  rare,  and  the  buffalo  is  practically  extinct. 

St.  I^ouis  remains  the  chief  centre  of  the  Western  fur 
trade,  as  it  has  been  from  the  beginning.  The  growth 
of  St.  Paul  in  this  particular  trade  has  been  due  to  the 
changed  methods  of  communication  and  the  taking 
over  of  the  furs  that  once  found  sale  at  Mackinac.  The 
furs  still  reach  these  centres  in  large  quantities  and 
through  regular  channels  of  trade;  but  the  pelts  are 
secured  in  the  first  place  by  the  individual  trapper  as 
a  result  of  his  own  enterprise  and  efforts;  and  they  are 
gathered  up  largely  by  individual  traders.  In  Canada, 


216  The  Fur  Traders 

the  home  of  organised  fur  trading,  there  are  still  to  be 
seen  the  fur  posts  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  and 
its  old  headquarters  at  Montreal;  but  in  1859  i*8 
monopoly  and  sovereign  rights  were  taken  away  from 
it,  and  it  now  is  exposed  to  any  competition  that  may 
be  raised  against  it.  Its  two  hundred  years  of  organ 
isation  and  monopoly  have,  however,  enabled  it  to 
maintain  a  considerable  advantage  over  its  rivals,  and 
will,  doubtless,  preserve  it  for  some  time  to  come. 


The  famous  Oregon  Trail,  in  many  ways  the  most 
noteworthy  and  remakable  road  in  history,  was  begun 
and  developed  by  the  early  fur  traders.  It  was  first 
used  in  parts  by  the  Astorians  on  their  outward  and 
returning  expeditions,  1811-13.  It  was  straightened 
and  extended  by  General  Ashley  and  his  parties,  one 
of  which  discovered  South  Pass  in  1823.  Both  Bonne- 
ville  and  Wyeth  from  1832-36  traversed  every  part  of 
the  Trail  to  its  end  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 
River.  Smith  in  1826  and  Walker  in  1833  travelled 
what  became  the  Californian  extension  of  the  Trail — 
the  road  of  the  ' '  Forty-niners ' '  and  the  host  that  came 
after  them. 

Some  forty  miles  west  of  the  present  Kansas  City 
(then  Independence)  a  small  sign-post  marked  the  place 
where  the  Oregon  Trail  branched  off  from  the  old  Santa 
F6  road.  It  bore  these  words,  "Road  to  Oregon." 
There  was  nothing  about  that  simple  notice  to  indicate 
to  the  traveller  a  journey  of  2020  miles,  nor  that  as  late 
as  1843  Fort  Bridger  was  one  of  only  four  houses  or 
stations  in  that  whole  distance. 

The  trapper  was  still  busy  along  the  Trail  when  the 
emigrants  began  to  move  toward  Oregon.  His  famili- 


The  Last  of  the  Companies         217 

arity  with  the  ways  and  by-ways  of  the  mountains  and 
the  plains  made  him  a  necessity  to  the  travellers  and 
settlers.  He  quickly  became  engaged  in  guiding  the 
immigrants;  he  acted  as  scout  for  the  soldiers;  and  he 
taught  the  official  "  pathfinders,"  sent  tardily  after  by 
the  government,  all  that  they  ever  "  found." 

The  spirit  of  adventure  and  gain  first  drew  the  trap 
pers  and  traders  into  the  depths  of  the  wilderness;  the 
fascination  of  the  wild  life  held  them  there;  and  in 
Nature's  own  good  time  and  chance  they  rested  there. 


INDEX 


Aiken,  sailor,  21,  22. 

Albatross,  88. 

American   Fur   Company,   x, 

xv,  xvi,  7,  25,  101,  138,  210, 

214. 

Arapooish,  142. 
Aricara  Indians,   x,    43,    147, 

194. 
Ashley,  Gen.  W.  H.,  xiii,  104, 

146,  208,  216. 
Astor,  John  Jacob,  ix,  5,  13, 

J5i  76,  92-100,  206,  212,  214. 
Astoria,  xi,  24,  77,  93,  94,  97, 

IOO. 

Astorians,  25,  32,  95,  104,  216. 
Atkinson,   Gen.    Henry,   xiv, 

147- 
Audubon,  xvii. 

Baker  Bay,  23,  25,  93. 
Bannock  Indians,  132,  159. 
Baranhoff,  Count,  86. 
Battle  of  Fort  M'Kenzie,  xvi. 
Battle  of  Pierre's  Hole,    xv, 

113  et.  seq. 
Bear  river,  xvi,  122,  142,  182, 

199. 

Beaver,  153,  209,  214,  215. 
Beaver,  x,  76,  78,  86,  99. 
Bernard  Pratte  and  Company, 

xiii,  102. 

Big  Horn  river,  149. 
Black,  Captain,  94. 
Blackfeet  Indians,  x,  xiv,  xvii, 

36,  103,  113,  119,  126. 
Black  Hills,  184,  189. 
Blue  Mountains,  66,  199. 
Bonneville,  Capt.  Benjamin  L,. 

E.,  xv,   106,   120,   141,   149, 

161,  197,  205,  208,  214,  216. 


Boone,  Daniel,  39,  105. 
Bradbury,  John,  37. 
Bridger,  Fort,  xvii,  216. 
Bridger,  James,  xv,  200,  209. 
Bull-boats,  150. 

Cache,  meaning  of,  65. 
Cache  valley,  xiv. 
Caldron  Linn,  64,  71. 
Campbell,    Robert,    105,    no, 

142. 

Canton,  79,  87. 
Cappine,  Antoine,  64. 
Carson,   Alexander    ("Kit"), 

40,  43,  59- 

Cass,  Fort,  103,  189,  210. 
Catlin,  George,  xv,  211. 
Cerre",  xv,  133,  142,  184,  213. 
Chardon,  xvii. 
Cheyenne  Indians,  54,  108. 
Chinook  Indians,  23,  85. 
Chouteau,  Auguste,  Jr.,  x. 
Chouteau,  Pierre,  Jr.,  211,  215. 
Chouteau,  Pierre,  Sr.,  x. 
Cimarron  desert,  xv. 
Clark,  William,  x. 
Clarke,  John,  76,  78,  83,  91, 

95- 

Coles,  21. 

Columbia,  ix,  8. 

Columbia  Fishing  and  Trad 
ing  Company,  196. 

Columbia  Fur  Company,  xiii, 
xiv,  103. 

Columbia  river,  ix,  xvi,  21,  23, 

58,  76,  97- 

Comanche  Indians,  xv. 
Comcomly,  23,  85,  93. 
Congress,  xi,  97,  101,  212. 
Coulter,  John,  x,  39. 


219 


22O 


Index 


Crooks,  Ramsay,  xvi,  65-70, 
74,  78,  loi,  104,  211,  214,  215. 

Crow  Indians,  55,  107,  142, 
157,  189,  199- 

Dalles,  The,  68. 

Day,  John,  67,  74,  132. 

De  Smet,  Father,  xvi. 

Digger  Indians,  182. 

Disappointment,  cape,  22,  77, 

93- 
Distillery  at  Fort  Union,  xvi, 

213. 

Dodge,  Colonel,  xvi. 
Dorion,  Pierre,  36,  46,  95-97. 

Essex,  88. 

Falkland  islands,  17. 
Farnham,  T.  J.,  200. 
Fitzpatrick,  Thomas,  xv,  in, 

149,  200,  209. 

Flathead  Indians,  112,  136. 
Floyd,  Fort,  xiv. 
Fontenelle,  Lucien,  109,  119. 
Fraeb,  Henry,  xv,  209. 
Fremont,  Gen.  J.  C.,  xvi,  xvii. 

Gallatin,  Albert,  98. 

George,  Fort,  94. 

Gervais,   John    Baptiste,  xv, 

134. 

Godin,  Antoine,  113. 
Godin  river,  134. 
Grande  Ronde  river,  67. 
Grand  Portage,  3. 
Gray,  Captain,  ix,  8,  9. 
Great  Salt  Lake,  xiv,  141,  210. 
Green  river,  xvi,  58,  109,  no, 

138,  151,  210. 

Hall,  Fort,  xvi,  200. 

Harvey,  Alexander,  xvii. 

Harvey,  Primeau,  and  Com 
pany,  xvii. 

Henry,  Andrew,  x,  xiii,  36, 60, 
104. 

Hoback,  40,  61,  96. 

Hodgkiss,  133,  159. 

Honolulu,  90. 


Hood,  Mount,  9. 

Hudson  Bay  Company,  ix,  xi, 

xvii,  2,  97, 100,  137, 199,  201, 

216. 

Humboldt  lakes,  182. 
Hunt,  W.  P.,  xi,  n,  33,  35, 46- 

48,  64,  68,  79,  86  et  seg.,^5, 

99,  104,  146. 

Independence,  Mo.,  in,  216. 
Irving,  Washington,  v,  206. 

Jackson  Hole,  117. 
Jackson,  President,  206. 
John  Day  river,  199. 
Jones,  Benjamin,  40. 
Jones  and  Immel,  xiii. 

Kosato,  127. 

Ladoga,  182. 
Lamazee,  26. 
Lark,  xi,  90,  99. 
Leavenwortb,     Colonel,    xiii, 

147- 

Leavenworth,  Fort,  196,  213. 
Le  Clerc,  96. 

Lee,  Jason  and  Daniel,  xv. 
Le  Lande,  Baptiste,  x. 
Lewis,  James,  25,  29. 
Lewis  and  Clark,  x,  9,  36,  109. 
Lisa,  Manuel,    x,  xii,  36,  46, 

102. 

Long,  Major  S.  H.,  xii. 
Louisiana  Purchase,  ix. 

M'Clellan,  Robert,  65,  69,  77, 

78,  102. 
M'Dougal,  Duncan,  n,  17,  32, 

77,  79,  84,  9L 
M'Kay,  Alexander,  n,  12,  17, 

25,  198- 
M'Kenzie,  Donald,  n,  35,  65, 

69,  77,  79  et  seg.,  91,  95. 
M'Kenzie,  Fort,  xvi,  103,  210. 
M'Kenzie,  Kenneth,  xv,  xvi, 

103,  183,  210,  212. 
M'Tavish,  John  G.,  79,  82,  85, 


Index 


221 


Mackenzie,  Alexander,  ix. 

Mackinac,  2,  35,  46,  in,  214. 

Mackinaw  Company,  xi,  4,  7, 
101. 

Madison,  President,  79,  98. 

Malade  river,  133. 

Malgares,  x. 

Mandan  Indians,  xvi,  43. 

Marquesas  Islands,  89. 

Matthieu,  122,  131,  133. 

Maxent,  Laclede,  and  Com 
pany,  ix. 

Maximilian,  Prince  of  Wied, 
xvi. 

May  Dacre,  196,  200. 

Medicine  Lodge  valley,  149. 

Miller,  Joseph,  61. 

Minnetarees,  43. 

Missouri  Fur  Company,  x,  xiii, 
55,  102. 

Mojave  Indians,  xiv. 

Monterey,  183. 

Montero,  184,  199,  205. 

Montreal,  i,  2,  6,  35. 

Nadowa,  36. 

Neweetee  Nootka  Sound),  xi, 

26. 

New  Archangel,  28,  86. 
Nez  Perc£  Indians,  xv,  112, 122, 

136,  162. 

Nicollet,  J.  N.,  xvi. 
Northern  Department,  7,  214. 
Northrop,  Captain,  90. 
Northwest  Brigade,  82. 
Northwest  Fur  Company,  ix, 

xi,  3,  6,  10,  15,  25,  85,  97, 

100. 
Nuttall,  Thomas,  37,  197 

O'Fallon,  Benjamin,  xiv,  147. 
Okanagan  river,  71. 
Omaha  Indians,  40. 
Oregon  Trail,  108,  216. 

Pacific  Fur  Company,  xi,  n, 

95,  loo,  102. 
Pedler,  90,  95. 
Phoebe,  88. 


Pierre  Chouteau,  Jr.,  and  Com 
pany,  xvii,  215. 

Pierre,  Fort,  xv,  211. 

Pierre's  Hole,  109. 

Pike,  Zebulon  Montgomery, 
x. 

Pilcher,  Joshua,  xii. 

Popo  Agie,  149. 

Porter,  Commodore,  88. 

Portneuf,  159,  181,  199. 

Powder  river,  150. 

Pratte,  Chouteau,  and  Com 
pany,  xvi,  215. 

Provost,  Etienne,  xiii. 

Purcell,  James,  x. 

Raccoon,  xi.,  89,  91. 

Reed,  John,  xi,  39,  64,  99,  71, 
81,  95,  102. 

Rendezvous,  xiii. 

Renville,  Joseph,  xiii. 

Rezner,  Jacob,  40,  61,  96. 

Robinson,  Edward,  40,  61,  96. 

Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Com 
pany,  xv,  xvi,  105,  113,  138, 
200,  209,  214. 

Rose,  Edward,  54,  146. 

Russian-American  Fur  Com 
pany,  ix,  xvii. 

St.  Charles,  37. 

St.  Louis,  35,  102,  215. 

St.  Paul  island,  86. 

Salmon  river,  121,  133, 

Sandwich  Islands,  88. 

Santa  Fe,  ix,  xiii. 

Selkirk,  Lord,  xi. 

Seton,  Alfred,  81. 

Shahaptan,  79. 

She-wee-she,  175. 

Shoshone     Indians,     67,    74, 

139- 

Sinclair,  112. 
Sioux  Indians,  40. 
Smallpox,  xvi. 
Smith,  Jedediah  S.,  xiv,  216. 
Smith,  Jackson,  and  Sublette, 

xiv,  xv,  209. 
Snake  Indians,  60. 


222 


Index 


Snake  river,  59,  62,  159,  167, 
210. 

South  pass,  xvii,  108,  142, 
216. 

Southwest  Fur  Company,  xi, 
101. 

Sowle,  Captain,  76. 

Spokane  river,  25. 

Stephens,  Alfred  K.,  117. 

Stewart,  Capt.  W.  D.,  198. 

Stone,  Bostwick,  and  Com 
pany,  xiii,  102. 

Stuart,  David,  12,  25,  74,  78, 

83,  95- 
Stuart,  Robert,  xi,  12,  71,  75, 

78,  101,  104. 
Sublette,  Milton  G.,  xiv,  113, 

134,  149,  1 88,  200,  209. 
Sublette,  William  L.,  xiv,  105, 

no,  124. 

Tahmaahmaah,  18,  19. 
Teton  basin,  xv. 
Teton  mountains,  58,  62,  117. 
Teton  pass,  60. 
Thompson,  David,  ix. 
Thorn,  Captain  Jonathan,  12, 

14  el  seq.,  26. 
Todd,  Isaac,  79,  82. 
Tonquin,   xi,   12,    13,   15,  68, 

99,  198- 
Townshend,  J.  K.,  197. 


Umatilla  river,  68. 

"U.  M.  O.,"  xiv,  210,  214. 

Union,  Fort,  xiv,  xv,  103,  193, 

211,  213. 
Upper    Missouri    Outfit,   xiv, 

103. 
Utah  Lake,  xiv. 

Vancouver  (explorer),  8. 
Vancouver,  Fort,  xii,  xiv,  ico, 
172,  200. 

Walker,  I.  R.,  xv,  141,   182, 

216. 

Walla  Walla  Indians,  75. 
Walla  Walla  river,  83,  95,  172. 
Weekes,  Stephen,  22,  30. 
Western  Department,  xiii,  101, 

102,  214. 

Whitman,  Marcus,  xv,  xvii. 
Willamette  river,  xii,  172. 
William,  Fort,  3,  4. 
Wind  river,  xv,  57,  205. 
Wind  River  mountains,  xvii, 

58,  151. 

Wish-ram,  68,  72,  81. 
Wyeth,   N.  J.,   xv,    no,   149, 

185  et  seq.,   200,   209,   213, 

216. 

Yellowstone,  xv,  210. 
Yellowstone  Expedition,  xiv. 
Yosemite,  182. 


Knickerbocker  Literature  Series 

Prepared  as  Supplementary  Reading  for  the 
Use  of  Higher-Grade  Classes 

Edited  by  FRANK  LINCOLN  OLMSTED 

1.  Episodes  from  "  The  Winning  of  the  West  " 

By  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT 

2.  Abraham  Lincoln :  His  Boyhood  and  Early  Man- 

hood,  with  a  Brief  Account  of  his  Later  Life 

By  NOAH  BROOKS 

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Rocky  Mountains  as  described  by  WASHINGTON 
IRVING  in  his  Account  of  "Astoria  "  and  the  record 
of  the  "Adventures  of  Captain  Bonneville,"  with 
some  additions  by  the  Editor. 

12° net  QOCts. 

This  series  has  been  prepared  to  present  in  convenient  form  for 
the  student,  and  for  the  use  of  literature  classes,  the  substance  of 
the  works  of  certain  noteworthy  authors.  Volumes  will  be  pre 
pared  based  upon  the  complete  texts  of  certain  American  classics, 
and  so  edited  as  to  leave  unimpaired  the  essential  portions  of  the 
narrative,  while  preserving  enough  of  incident  and  of  detail  to  com 
plete  the  pictures  of  the  periods  and  places  selected.  The  main 
text  will  be  left  in  the  language  of  the  original  authors. 

The  first  group  in  the  series  will  comprise  four  volumes  devoted 
to  the  literature  illustrating  the  exploration,  the  conquest,  and  the 
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Roosevelt,  and  with  the  chronological  narrative  will  present  the 
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dents  in  this  very  picturesque  chronicle.  The  Second  Volume  will 
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worthy  incidents  from  "Astoria"  and  "Adventures  of  Captain 
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was  done.  The  Third  Volume,  based  upon  Cooper's  "  Last  of  the 
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of  Lincoln,"  by  Noah  Brooks,  although  dealing  with  a  much  later 
period  of  time,  tells  of  experiences  of  a  boyhood  and  young  man 
hood  passed  in  these  same  pioneer  surroundings. 

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